


Another Time

by TaylorMade



Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: Canon/AU Crossover, F/F, F/M, Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-09-21
Packaged: 2019-06-09 21:03:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 32,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15276138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaylorMade/pseuds/TaylorMade
Summary: In another time, it was an entirely different Wizarding War. What happens when a survivor, a soldier, of that other world finds herself the victim of a cross-temporal displacement? (This term will be explained in the story.) Canon/AU Crossover. (Yes, I know: "That's weird." Humor me.)Side note: "The Dark Sister" is NOT abandoned, nor are my Batman stories. I have a fewcertain peoplewho keep "borrowing" my source material without asking, (but we're not naming names,are we,IAN?) and I'm beginning to think I'm going to have to hire a Private Investigator to get all my books back. I will finish them ASAP, but this will serve as a diversion until I can.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [UhHiThere](https://archiveofourown.org/users/UhHiThere/gifts).



It began as a typical night in the Black household. Little Norrie had fought against the dreaded "bedtime", leaving her parents to firmly refuse a fourth story and a third glass of water. She'd heard two lullabies and elicited the promise of a play date with her cousins before finally sighing and kissing them goodnight. In the end, it had taken only thirty-six minutes to settle her - a family record.

"I swear, Bella, it's a wonder we don't fall asleep ourselves, leaving that child to do as she likes while we snore away on the floor!"

Bellatrix laughed softly in agreement. She pulled her wife close, placing a hand over the other woman's swollen belly. "Perhaps this one will be tamer."

Hermione snorted. "Let's hope."

Bellatrix smiled gently and, clutching Hermione's hand, quietly led the way to their bedroom. There they fell into their familiar routine, changing for bed, settling in with their books (after a brief search for Bella's reading glasses), and talking before dimming the lights to sleep.

Bella wrapped an arm over her wife and tucked herself against Hermione's back. Beneath her hand, their unborn child shifted position and Bella felt a swell of joy building in her chest. She kissed Hermione's neck softly, taking in her familiar scent.

"Goodnight, my love..."

-:-:-:-:-:-

Breaking glass woke her.

Bellatrix sat straight up. Her first thought was that her daughter had gotten up for a glass of water after her mothers had gone to sleep. But the tread she heard on the stairs was far too heavy to belong to a child. She turned to find Hermione had also awoken.

"What was that?"

"Someone's in the house," Bella whispered urgently. "Get Norrie, darling. Go to my sister's house. Use the Floo in here. I'll hold them off until you've gone and then I'll join you."

Hermione opened her mouth to object, but closed it again almost immediately. She knew she couldn't risk fighting while she was pregnant. "Andy's or Cissy's?"

"Andy's," Bells replied firmly. "Remus and Dora are spending the week with her."

She let that statement hang. An Auror, a werewolf, and a skilled duelist would clearly provide the growing family more protection than a Ministry official and a Healer. Hermione nodded and cautiously followed her wife out of the bedroom and down the hall. When they reached their toddler's room, Hermione broke off to rescue the child.

A fluent stream of coarse language filtered up the stairs as the intruder stepped on a misplaced toy and tumbled back down. Bella found herself smirking. So _that's_ where Norrie's Muggle Hot Wheels car had vanished to... Sure enough, as she descended after their uninvited guest, Bella found the bright pink death trap on one of the steps and pocketed it. It wouldn't be nearly as funny if it's next victim was Hermione, after all.

She saw a head of red hair and then a scarred face turned up to look at her from the landing. With a stab of fear, she recognized the man. She carefully crafted her expression to show only her disdain, not her horror.

"Ronald Weasley," she sneered. "Shouldn't you be in Azkaban?"

She lifted her wand, preparing herself for trouble as he raised his. But she was caught off-guard when he bothered to speak to her.

"It's a strange thing, isn't it, Black?" He grinned like a madman. "The way one moment leads to another; how one choice impacts the next... And where would any of us be _without_ those moments?"

"Never took you for a philosopher, Weasley." The moment she'd spoken, she knew she'd made a mistake. She should have Stunned him the moment he'd opened his mouth. A flash of purple light hit her, and she just barely caught the words of his spell before the world went dark...

**_"TEMPUS OBSESSIO!""_ **

-:-:-:-:-:-

Bellatrix just had enough time to realize she was no longer in her home when the screams started. She forced her eyes open to find herself flat on her back in the middle of Diagon Alley. Moaning, she rolled to her hands and knees and staggered unsteadily to her feet.

The first thing that caught her attention was a shop she'd never seen before. "Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes" was painted on the sign in loud colors. Bella stared blankly at it for several moments before realizing people were still screaming. She finally looked around and realized everyone was giving her a wide berth. Parents were pushing their children behind them, other people were running away, and a few looked as if they were preparing for a fight. Everyone seemed terrified.

Bellatrix, fearing the worst, spun around, looking for a threat. But the only thing she could see that was out of place was the shop.

"Don't worry," she tried to say, though her voice shook. It was daytime now. Where was her family? But the crowd, she knew, needed reassurance. "Don't worry; I was an Auror. I'll handle this."

But as she turned again towards the strange shop, she was hit with three Stunners and blacked out once more.


	2. Chapter 2

Bellatrix woke yet again, this time with a pounding in her head and a vague nausea tearing at her stomach. There was also the nagging feeling that _something_ was horrifically _wrong_. She smelled the typical "hospital smell" of medicinal potions and wondered if she was in St. Mungo's or if someone had taken her to Narcissa's. She desperately hoped she'd look up and see her sister standing over her, but when she blinked her eyes open... A stranger with limp brown hair stared down at her with a frown. A disapproving expression soured the woman's features.

"You're awake," she observed. "Do you know where you are?"

"Hospital," Bella croaked.

"And your name?"

"Bellatrix Black," she answered. "Where is my family? Someone broke into our home. I sent them to my sister's, but I don't know that they made it. Can you have someone check on them?"

Anger flashed through the Healer's eyes. "What's your _real_ name, Miss? Bellatrix LeStrange died in the war."

"LeStrange?" Bella was certain she'd misheard the woman. "No, it's Black. It's always been Black. And I'm very clearly _not_ dead!" The Healer scowled and Bellatrix was quickly losing patience. "Look, one of the Weasley clan has broken out of Azkaban! I only saw the one, but - given how large his family is - there's a good chance he isn't alone. If those lunatics go after innocent people because you couldn't be bothered to listen to me - "

The Healer cut her off with a raised hand and a look of confusion. Then she slipped from the room and Bella heard a hushed conversation from the hallway. She strained to hear, but couldn't make out a word. Finally a dark skinned man stepped inside and regarded her neutrally.

"Kingsley!" The tension melted from her and a genuine smile blossomed across her face. "I've never been so glad to see you in my life! Please, will you send word to Andy that I'm safe and make sure Hermione and Norrie made it to her house?"

A mildly uncertain look crossed his eyes, but it was gone so quickly she thought she'd imagined it. He stepped closer to her, searching her face. Her training as an Auror took over then.

"Kingsley?" Her voice held a note of wariness she couldn't completely disguise. "If that's really you, tell me what I sent you for your birthday last year."

"Bellatrix Black LeStrange has never sent me a birthday gift," he replied. "She hated me. And she's been dead for nearly five years."

"I'm not a LeStrange!"

"No, I suspect you're not."

"What the bloody hell is going on here?" It was a demand, not a question. Bellatrix stood, fully prepared to fight this man who she now suspected was not the Kingsley Shacklebolt that _she_ knew, but her body had different ideas. She swayed on her feet and would have fallen had he not caught her and guided her gently back onto the bed. Bella distantly realized she was still in her night clothes.

"Easy," Not-Kingsley soothed. "We have a suspicion about what's happened, but there's not much information available on the magic that caused it. This home invader you spoke of to Healer Taglietti... Did he perform any magic on you?"

"Yes," Bella admitted cautiously. "A spell I'd never heard before..."

"What was the incantation?"

" _Tempus Obsessio,_ I think. It created a purple light. I blacked out, woke up in the street... Saw a strange storefront that hadn't been there when I went shopping a few days ago, though it looked well-established." She eyed the man in front of her, who nodded grimly. "Care to fill me in?"

"You're lucky I've a junior ministry official with an obsession for researching obscure magic," he sighed. "Otherwise we likely wouldn't have a clue. That spell seems to be a very old, rarely discussed branch of the Dark Arts. It was designed to create a..." He paused to put on a pair of reading glasses before he pulled a bit of parchment from his pocket and referred to it. "A _'cross-temporal displacement'_." Bella raised an eyebrow at him. He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Yeah, that was _my_ reaction..." 

He perched beside her and handed her the parchment. She absently stole his glasses, and he had to suppress a grin. Her breath caught as she recognized the small, neat writing.

" _'Cross-temporal displacement is a term used to describe the act of removing a person, animal, or object from its appropriate place in time and thrusting it violently into a timeline in which it doesn't belong..._ " She read out loud. "So... I'm in... Another time? Some sort of alternate reality?"

"It would appear so."

"That explains why so many things seem off," she sighed. "That shop, your lack of our usual Shakespearian greeting... And those things Weasley said... Puts them in context." Her mind was swimming. "What now? How do I get home? And why in the world did those people in Diagon Alley feel the need to _Stun_ me? I mean, I know I'm in my nightshirt, but I can't imagine the fashion police to be all _that_ strict in any timeline."

Kingsley couldn't help but chuckle before his expression became serious again. "I'm afraid they mistook you for your counterpart in our own timeline. She was nothing short of notorious. A Death Eater, specifically Voldemort's right hand."

Bella fought against the chill that went up her spine and responded softly, "I was an Auror."

"Was?"

"Retired," she elaborated. "To start a family... Merlin, Kingsley, my _wife!_ She's six months pregnant with our second child! We have a toddler - Honoria... My little Norrie... She'll be three years old next month... I've never been away from her for longer than a day! God, what am I supposed to _do_ now?"

"For starters, try not to let yourself get overwhelmed," he told her. "That junior official I spoke of - "

"Hermione." He looked startled so she held up the parchment. "It's my wife's handwriting. No one else could write this small and still make the words legible."

He blinked, but didn't dispute her assertion. "Yes, Hermione... She thinks it's theoretically possible to trace the events of your life and find the exact moment your timeline diverged from ours. The problem is the Bellatrix that belonged _here_ died in combat. We can't interview her to compare your lives."

"I hope there's a 'but' coming."

" _But_ , while it will require more effort, I'm hoping to draw enough facts from other people in your life... Or _lives_ , plural, I suppose... To do the same thing."

Bellatrix nodded, but remained silent for a moment, "I'm guessing most of Bellatrix LeStrange's closest friends and family are either dead or in prison, aren't they?" Kingsley said nothing, but his expression told her all she needed to know. "The truth, old friend... Do you think this will work?"

He felt his expression soften when she referred to him so casually. Whoever this Bella was, she was clearly not the madwoman he'd faced in battle. He took a deep breath, and slowly released it before rising and offering her his hand.

"I don't know," he admitted. "But I won't give up if you won't. You have my word."

"A gentleman in any time," she smiled a bit sadly, accepting his help in standing. He put a steadying arm around her and guided her to the door. "Where are we going?"

"There are more critical patients who may need this room, and you'll rest far better in my guest room."

"Oh, we're going to _your_ place, are we?" She quipped. "Honestly, Kingsley, buy a girl a drink first..."

His uproarious laugh was familiar enough to comfort her, if only for a moment.


	3. Chapter 3

Bellatrix had slept for a little while at Kingsley's insistence, but it hadn't been a restful sort of sleep. Her mind was churning, and it had made for strange dreams, the memories of which were elusive upon waking. She had, in fact, startled herself awake several times before finally giving up. 

She looked around the room, taking in the sight of the blue-grey walls and the plain white bedroom furniture. He'd decorated the room primarily to his mother's liking, so the more feminine touches here and there - like the candles on the dresser - made the guest quarters feel homier than they might in any other bachelor's house. She had hoped his mum had left a change of clothes in the wardrobe, but all she'd found were a few hangers.

With a look in the mirror, she decided she'd have to make do with what she had. She picked up her wand and quickly arranged her wild curls into a slightly less disordered fashion. When she was moderately satisfied with her hair, she cast a quick _Scorgify_ on herself. Finally, she reached into the pocket of her bathrobe and removed her daughter's toy car. She placed it gently on the vanity before transfiguring her night clothes into more appropriate attire.

She took a deep, shaky breath and clutched the little pink toy to her chest like a talisman. She took a moment to steady her nerves, not wanting to break down and cry. Crying would feel like accepting defeat; something she wasn't willing to do. Her family would be counting on her.

That's when she'd heard a familiar voice down the hall and, momentarily forgetting where she was, she nearly dashed out before catching herself. Instead, she quietly padded towards the sound and stood just out of sight, listening.

"So I was right," she heard her wife - no, the _other_ Hermione - say. "That magic we detected on her _was_ temporal in nature..."

"Yes," Kingsley said. "And she's nothing like LeStrange as far as I can tell. I seriously doubt we have to worry about history repeating itself." 

The last sentence sounded somewhat pointed, and Bella peeked around the corner to see a not-pregnant Hermione rub her arm in a distracted way. Another familiar voice, from a person she couldn't see chimed in.

"There's still the problem of finding enough people to piece together LeStrange's entire history," Minerva McGonagall said. "Her husband is in Azkaban with all the other surviving Death Eaters. Andromeda may or may not be willing to participate, and Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy are rarely seen in public anymore."

"Childhood friends?" Hermione suggested. "People she drifted away from as she grew older? Teachers, classmates... Neighbors. No one lives in a vacuum. It may be tedious, but it's got to be possible."

"You're putting in an awful lot of work to help that bitch," a less welcome voice groused.

"You heard Kingsley, Ron," Hermione sighed. "She isn't the same woman. Treating her as if she is wouldn't be fair."

"I appreciate that," Bella said, stepping out of her hiding place, the toy still in her hand. She did her best not to look at the stranger wearing her wife's face and focused instead on Ron Weasley. "And in return for the consideration, I'll do my best to remember you likely aren't a man who enjoys sending people on unplanned vacations to alternate realities."

Weasley looked shocked, "Wait... _I'm_ the reason you're here?"

"Your counterpart is," Bella corrected gently. "Judging by your expression, I'm guessing you're about as much like _him_ as I am _this_ world's Bellatrix."

A throat was cleared and Bella turned to find Harry Potter sitting beside McGonagall. "So, do we work backwards from the moment she arrived or forward from her childhood?" He asked, getting straight to business.

"Both," Hermione replied, avoiding looking at Bella. "Work it from both ends and we might pinpoint the divergence faster. We'll announce what's happened to the public to calm any fears that LeStrange is mysteriously back from the dead. We can use the same platform to make an appeal for anyone with first hand information on Bellatrix's life to come forward and share it so that her displaced persona is removed from our timeline as quickly as possible."

Bella shot the younger woman a glance, but quickly looked away again. Even with the knowledge that things here were very different, it was hard not to feel a bit hurt by the cold undertone in Hermione's voice.

 _'She's not the woman you share your bed with,'_ she scolded herself. _'She's not carrying your baby. She's not your wife. You don't know what her life is like. Take it in stride.'_

She risked another covert look and found Hermione doing the same. She tried for a smile and could only hope it didn't look too sad.

"Kingsley told me about your family," Hermione said. "He told me who you married." Bella nodded and the younger woman pressed on. "You're happy with her?"

"Yes," the ex-Auror managed. "I can't imagine a life without her... Though, now, I suppose I'll be witnessing one..."

Hermione steadily returned her gaze. Ron, baffled by the conversation, looked from one woman to the other.

"What's all that mean?" He pressed. Silence answered him. "Hey, what're you two going on about?"

"Pensives should do the job," Hermione decided, ignoring the red head. "That way we can study the memories from both timelines and pinpoint even minor differences. We'll have to convince Narcissa Malfoy as well as Andromeda to help whether they want to or not. Their memories of their late sister are likely going to be key factors in isolating pivotal moments."

"I'll talk to Andromeda," Harry said. "I'm picking up Teddy for the weekend anyway and she'll listen to me."

McGonagall nodded, adding, "I'll try to reach the Malfoys. Let's just hope they'll hear us out."

Bella wondered if her other persona's sisters would be happy or horrified to see her.

-:-:-:-:-:-

It had been a mixed reaction when family members arrived late that afternoon.

Bellatrix had waited in the hallway, out of sight, as Kingsley and the others briefly explained the situation to Andromeda, Narcissa, Lucius, and Draco. When she'd finally been asked to step out to greet her sisters' counterparts, Cissy had actually cried at the sight of her - though Bella still wasn't sure what emotion had prompted the tears. Andromeda looked as if she were trying to decide if she wanted to hit her or hug her, and in the end she'd done neither. Uncertain how else to proceed, Bella went for her own personal safety net - humor.

"I know exactly what you're thinking," she deadpanned. " _'Oh, God, please... Tell me there weren't_ always _two of her.'_ "

A wet laugh escaped Narcissa, who finally moved forward to embrace her. But Andy didn't budge. Instead, the middle sister studied Bella's face cautiously.

"My elder sister murdered my husband, my daughter, and my son-in-law," she informed her. Bella gasped and her heart nearly stopped.

"When she was four," Bella countered. "I taught Nymphadora to charm her toy cars to drive themselves along the walls and ceiling in the kitchen while you attempted to prepare dinner. She gave her favorite one to my little girl and taught her to do the same this past summer."

Draco stifled a laugh and Lucius nodded slightly as if he approved. Andy's cold expression remained, but Bellatrix couldn't blame her. Had she really been so monstrous here? What had happened to steer her life to such a dark place?

Ron saved her from contemplating that too deeply as he came in carrying the largest, heaviest Pensive she'd ever seen. He was red in the face, and sweat dripped down his back as he put it down with a _thud_. With a final huff of exhaustion, he fell back to lay spread-eagle in the floor, gasping for breath.

"You know, there are these things called _'wands'_ ," Bella told him. "They do things like... Help you levitate heavy objects to prevent you from getting tired or injuring yourself, for example..."

"Muggles... In... Hallway..." Ron wheezed. "Not... A fully... Magical... Building... Statute... Of... Secrecy..."

"You could've magically lightened it before you ever began," Draco pointed out, offering Weasley a hand up.

"Didn't think of that..." Ron admitted.

Bella laughed as another red head she easily recognized walked in - Ginny. Before Bella had time to wonder how much _this_ Ginny differed from hers, the young woman swung a small bag from her shoulder and upended it a few inches off the floor. She pulled it straight up to reveal a second, equally large pensive.

"Hey!" Ron protested. "You brought yours in a charmed bag but let me lug this thing around for nearly _five kilometers?_ You could've offered to take both!"

"Not my fault you don't use your head," she replied dismissively. "Doesn't your briefcase have a similar feature?"

Draco raised an eyebrow at Ron and smirked. "Didn't think of that either?"

"Buggar off, Malfoy."

"All right," Hermione took charge as she entered the room. "Here's how I thought we'd start: two Pensives will be in play at any given time - one for Bellatrix's memories and the other for the memories of whomever is sharing details regarding the other Bella's life. Now, these Pensives were chosen specifically for the fact that they're large. This will allow more people to enter the memories which means there will be more chances to find variations. Understood?"

Bella had to suppress a grin. Hermione's bossy know-it-all mode must be a universal "Hermione" trait. She certainly left very little room for argument.

"Bella, why don't you start by showing us precisely what happened before you were sent here?" McGonagall's voice was calm, reassuring and Bella stepped forward to comply.


	4. Chapter 4

It had been Hermione's instruction that the person providing the memory should guide the others through it. She'd also decided that anyone appearing in the memory should go along to pinpoint differences in themselves that others might not notice. At least one "control", a person not connected to the memory, would observe from within to provide as unbiased an opinion as possible. For this first memory, that would be Draco.

When she saw Ron's expression the first moment he entered her memory and set eyes on her family, Bellatrix had to look away to contain the laugh bubbling up in her chest. He gaped openly at the sight of a pregnant Hermione working in a clearly familiar tandem with Bella as they slowly outlasted their daughter in their nightly war of wills. The other Hermione, for her part, watched with a carefully neutral expression.

"That child is _gorgeous!_ " Draco breathed.

"Clever, too." Bella couldn't help her proud smile. Norrie had Bella's black curls, her grandmother's blue eyes, Hermione's jaw and nose, and lips that belonged on a porcelain doll. But far more important than the little girl's appearance was her insatiable curiosity. Honoria quite simply wanted to know _everything_.

"Oh," the not-her-wife Hermione said with a faraway look in her eye. She had apparently recognized the story Memory Bella was reading out loud. "You know _God Bless the Gargoyles_?"

"Well, I should. It's one of Norrie's favorites."

"Never heard of it," Draco admitted, walking around to study the book's illustrations.

"It's a Muggle book," Hermione supplied. "And such a sweet story."

Not much else was said as the memory of that evening played out. Ron snorted for a moment as Memory Bella searched for her reading glasses only to find them on top of her head, and Hermione shifted a bit uncomfortably when she watched Bella gently kiss her wife's neck and bid her goodnight. But no one said a word until Ron saw the massive scar on his counterpart's face.

"Bloody hell," he said, somewhat astonished. "What happened?"

Draco grinned. "You never looked better, Weasley."

"I'm afraid _I_ happened," Bellatrix answered before the two could start trading insults. "A group of us were cornered, taken prisoner, during the war. He tried to get some information out of me and I bit him for his trouble. I tore a rather large chunk of flesh out of his face. It scarred so badly because one of his brothers thought it would be funny to curse the wound."

"My God!" Hermione nearly choked. "Do I want to know which brother?"

"One of the twins," Bella shrugged. "I never knew which was which."

Conversation died again as they watched the odd dialogue the "bad" Ron spouted off. Then there was the spell, and a clearly confused Bella woke up in the street. It was surreal, watching her own reaction to seeing that storefront. Draco actually jumped when the stunners hit her.

Her conversation with Kingsley at St. Mungo's followed, and the memory ended.

-:-:-:-:-:-

"Well?" McGonagall prodded as the group exited the Pensive. "Anything useful?"

"We saw the spell," Kingsley nodded. He'd been so quiet throughout their exploration of the memory that Bella had almost forgotten he was with them. "We have an incantation to reverse engineer. That was the most important part."

McGonagall nodded. "Narcissa has a memory from her childhood to share. We'll see if there's any variation from your timeline."

"Who was there, Cissy?" She asked, not even realizing she'd used the old nickname until it was out of her mouth. "Did I call you 'Cissy' in this timeline? I suppose I should've asked..."

"You did," the other woman assured her. "Though it varied on occasion, it was always either _'Cissy'_ or _'you insufferable little brat'_."

"Well," Bella reasoned with a grin and a laugh. "If you'd stop behaving like an insufferable little brat... Speaking of which, would you care to answer my first question?"

"It was the two of us, Andromeda, Mother, and Father."

"I refuse to be the control element on any memory regarding Grandmother Dru," Draco announced firmly.

"I'll do it," McGonagall immediately volunteered. Hermione closed her mouth with a snap. She'd been ready to step forward to serve that purpose herself, but no matter how curious she was, she couldn't reasonably tag along to see every memory. McGonagall eyed her, apparently reading her mind.

-:-:-:-:-:-

The memory began late at night. Three young girls sat on the foot of Bellatrix's bed, whispering amongst themselves. Their heads were bent close, as if they were sharing intimate secrets, which made McGonagall smile. At least, it did until their little group moved closer and she heard the conversation.

"Now remember," Bella was saying. "If I get caught, it'll be up to _you_ , Cissy. Andy will have to distract whichever one didn't find me. I know it's a lot to ask, but you're the only one of us they won't suspect. Now, tell me what the rules are."

"Never take the first or the last of anything," the five-year-old recited. "Add water to the juice so they won't notice it's been taken. Avoid the elves and all the paintings because they'll snitch on us. Don't take anything crunchy. Make sure there isn't flour on the floor before I go into the kitchen. Put everything back as it was. Slide down the stairs on my backside to keep me low and to make less noise. Skip the fourth step down because it creaks. Crawl, don't walk. Stay close to the furniture because the floor will creak less and it makes it easier to hide. If there are coins on the table, don't touch them, but if there are coins on the floor, pick out only a Knut or two. Put the pillowcase with the food under my nightshirt. Get back upstairs by crawling, _skip the fourth step from the top_ , and crawl under the bed to remove the stash. Put the stash under the loose floorboard until you can move it to the holding place. If I'm caught, I should pretend I'm sick."

"Good girl," a nine-year-old Bella grinned. "Andy?"

"I'm ready," Andromeda nodded.

"Pillow cases?" Bella held hers up and Narcissa mirrored her actions. "All right, then. If you hear anything amiss, go to plan B."

"What if plan B doesn't work, either, Bella?" Cissy asked.

"Then we don't get to eat tonight," Bella shrugged.

"Merlin," McGonagall gasped. "I knew you three had it tough, but I never realized they _starved_ you!"

"We weren't exactly starved, Minerva," Andromeda sighed as they watched Young Bella's plan A begin to unravel when her father rounded the corner in front of the staircase and snagged his eldest child by the hair. The little girl let out a scream, alerting her sisters.

"So you were making plans to steal food for the sheer joy of it?" Minerva scoffed.

"We were fed," Narcissa supplied. "But our food intake was strictly monitored. We were taught that proper Pureblood girls only ate enough to keep themselves going. We always had to be mindful of becoming overweight. We should strive to remain thin to attract a proper Pureblood husband."

Bella snorted. "You should've seen me gorging myself in the Great Hall after my Sorting. I think may have actually frightened a few of my older classmates. I know for a fact that the third year who was sitting next to me immediately began guarding his plate as if he thought I was going to steal it."

"You stupid little _bitch!_ " a man's enraged voice drew them back to the memory. Little Bella had bitten her father's fingers hard enough to draw blood in an effort to breathe after his large hand had clamped over her nose and mouth.

Druella heard the noise and entered, rolling her eyes at the sight before her. "For Merlin's sake, Cygnus! She isn't even old enough to attend Hogwarts! Can't you control a single unruly child?"

Druella raised her wand, and little Andromeda, only seven years old, suddenly materialized. "Oh, Mother, please! Don't hurt her! I lost my book! She was only coming down to look for it!"

The diversion was clearly a good one. Narcissa's younger self darted in and out of the kitchen in 90 seconds flat, clearly already well practiced at her task. Like a pale shadow, she was silently upstairs again in no time. Then, after storing the items she'd taken as instructed, she quickly mussed her hair as if she'd been sleeping and put on a convincing newly-woken expression, rubbing her eyes as if the commotion downstairs had roused her from a deep sleep.

"What's going on?" She was almost whining, looking down the stairs at her family.

"It's nothing, Cissy," Bella managed. "We're just trying to find Andy's novel."

"It fell behind your nightstand," the youngest Black informed them. "The cat jumped up there this afternoon, remember?"

Silence fell as their parents tried to decide whether or not to believe them. Having no proof to the contrary, they were forced to accept it.

"I'll teach you to bite your own father!" Cygnus roared instead and Bella was beaten soundly as her sisters looked on, unable to assist her.

They ate that night. At least, the younger two did. Bella simply collapsed into bed, black and blue.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Hermione studied the faces of the four witches as they exited the Pensive. For several seconds, no one uttered a word.

"If that man weren't dead, I'd rip his still-beating heart out with my bare hands," McGonagall muttered under her breath, shocking Harry and Hermione, who were close enough to overhear.

"Did..." Hermione cleared her throat. "Did that memory differ from yours, Bella?"

"No," a subdued woman replied. "It was exactly the same... Blow for blow."

"And how old were you?" Kingsley asked.

"Nine."

"Okay," Hermione said. "So we'll try a more recent memory and work backwards for awhile, now that we have a starting frame of reference."

"Let's pick that up tomorrow," Kingsley suggested. "It's getting late."

A few people nodded their agreement and, one by one, they drifted out the door, leaving Kingsley and Bella alone.


	5. Chapter 5

As soon as Hermione and Ron, the last pair out the door, had disappeared into the night, Bella slumped unceremoniously onto the couch. With a gentle smile, Kingsley joined her. Her fingers rubbed circles around her temples and her gaze finally fell on her companion's compassionate expression.

"Of all of them," she murmured. "You are the most unchanged."

"May I ask - "

"Anything," she interrupted. "Always."

He inclined his head graciously at that. "What did you mean when you referred to _our usual Shakespearian greeting_ , Bella?"

Her smile at that was infectious. "Well, the year I returned from America to rejoin the Order, the Auror's office put on a production of _Much Ado About Nothing_ and sold tickets to raise money for charity - "

"Whose hair-brained idea was _that_?" He asked with a bark of a laugh. 

Bella fixed him with a would-be stern look and replied, with mock offense, "Mine."

Still chuckling, he held up his hands in surrender and she grinned again before continuing. "Anyway, _I_ played Beatrice and _you_ played Benedict, largely because we were the least atrocious actors in the bunch. The two trade insults through so much of the play, it sort of became our own personal tradition. So when you didn't initiate one of the war of words our characters engage in, it was a red flag that something was amiss."

Kingsley hummed thoughtfully. "Is your niece, Tonks, an Auror as well?"

"Yes, she is," Bella raised her chin proudly.

"And was she in the play?" Mischief danced in his eyes.

"She played Don Pedro," Bella nodded.

"Oh? Not Hero or Margaret?"

"Nope, she asked specifically for the role of the Prince."

"Why?"

Bella snorted. "Because even though she rejects him, Don Pedro asks Beatrice to marry him. She'd thought it'd be funny to propose to her Aunt."

They looked at each other for a moment before they were overtaken by peels of laughter.

"I must admit," Bella sighed as she wiped at the tears of mirth on her face. "I've been a truly horrible influence on that girl. I have no idea why Andy hasn't used Norrie as a tool to seek revenge..."

"Why were you in America?" Kingsley switched tracks. He found himself wanting to know more about Bella's life, not just to send her home, but because he rather liked her.

"Joint task force," she replied. "It was a case of international human trafficking and the on-going use of the Imperius curse on Muggles. Learned a lot, though I suffered a bit of culture shock. They've horrible taste in tea, but I actually grew to like Southern fried foods. More importantly, I made some contacts that proved useful during the war. Nothing like an influx of American Aurors during a final battle."

Kingsley huffed. "When _I_ contacted them I was told their government didn't want to get involved!"

"You went about it wrong, mate," Bella said. "I didn't contact them through official channels. I went through my own contacts, who contacted _their_ contacts and so on. Just a dozen owls, and next thing you know, our cousins across the pond are all suddenly _'sick'_ or in need of _'personal leave'_ , _'vacation time'_ , and the like. They have a tendency to disregard the rules when it suits them - like when a friend calls for backup and they know their government will say no. They use the phrase _'I'd rather beg forgiveness than ask permission'_... A _lot_... A whole battalion of Americans Apparated in the day before the Battle of Hogwarts. And they're loose cannons, the Yanks are. They're crazy in a fight. The Death Eaters never knew what hit them."

"If they're so rubbish about following orders, how'd we command them on the battlefield?"

"Oh, you don't order Americans," she waved dismissively. "You point out the enemy and stay the bloody hell out of the way." She flashed him another grin. "Your counterpart says it was like having an entire army of _me_."

"You look bizarrely proud of that accusation," he snickered, eliciting a devious little giggle from her that ended in a sigh.

"He's my best friend, the other Kingsley," Bella said wistfully, laying her head against the back of the couch. She rolled her neck to look at him. "It's strange telling you stories about things you were present for."

It was quiet then, but the silence was not uncomfortable. They regarded each other and just allowed that moment to _be_. The more time he spent with this Bella, the more he felt robbed of the good friend he'd never had in the other one. He looked at her and wondered if there were other people in other timelines that he would wish to know in a different capacity. Was there, perhaps, even a Voldemort who wasn't a bad guy? 

Bella's thoughts were becoming far too introspective as well, judging by her expression. There was a faraway look about her, tinged with a sadness that he knew came from the forced separation from her wife and child. That she was sad, given her circumstances, was to be expected. But he'd meant what he'd said about helping her and not giving up. He had to keep her hopes alive.

" _'She is never sad but when she sleeps',_ " he recited. " _'And not ever sad, then, for when she dreams of sadness, she wakes herself with laughter._ " She looked up at him, surprised. He smiled a bit sheepishly. "Or words to that effect. I haven't read the play in years."

"Close enough," Bella said softly. "Though that's not one of Benedict's lines."

"But it's a line that fits you, isn't it? When you feel as if things are hopeless or too tense or what have you, a joke and a laugh will chase away what ails you."

"Are you sure you aren't _my_ Kingsley?"

"I almost wish I were," he said sincerely. "If I'd known _you_ were what was hidden beneath Bellatrix LeStrange's madness, if I _could_ have known it for certain, I think I'd have fought to save her."

Bella's eyes flitted about the room. It was so familiar, but so off. His bookshelf was along a different wall, the paint was grey instead of sage green, and the Muggle television Hermione had bought him was just plain _missing_. But the garish red velvet couch that matched absolutely nothing in the room was the same, right down to the loose seam on the armrest. The ridiculous top hat that he never wore was perched haphazardly atop the same dusty coatrack. The painting he'd hung upside down as a joke was upturned, just as always, and it's discontented occupant glared at him occasionally from a neighboring frame. That bit amused her.

 _'Perhaps he's right,'_ she thought. _'That line_ does _seem rather spot on.'_

"When was the last time you ate?" He asked suddenly. "It just occurred to me, you were sleeping when Ron's other self broke into your house. And it's dusk again and neither of us has had a bite."

Bella smiled warmly. "You're right, it's past time, isn't it? Is there food here or will we need to go out?" She hoped the notoriously empty pantry wasn't a trait both Kingsley's shared. She didn't want a panicking passer-by at a restaurant to Stun her. Again.

"You're in luck," he grinned, as if reading her mind. "Minerva took pity on us and brought a meal prepared by the elves of Hogwarts!"

"Excellent!" She hid a mischievous smirk. "I don't have to find a polite way of kicking you out of your own kitchen!"

Why couldn't he stop laughing around this woman?

-:-:-:-:-:-

There had to be something in one of the books amassed in front of her. Hermione refused to believe otherwise. There was always an answer and, usually, it could be uncovered if one was simply willing to read long enough.

 _'At least when temporal magic is concerned, there's all the time in the world to get it right,'_ she told herself with a sigh.

Her mind drifted back, as it did far too often, to the night she was tortured in Malfoy Manor. The mad, hate-filled rage of her captor - the infamous Bellatrix Black LeStrange... The burning sting of the knife as it dug into her flesh... Even now, it was all so fresh and oh-so-very raw... She wondered if she'd ever be able to truly leave the past behind.

That the Bellatrix in the Prime Minister's guest room was not the same person mattered far less to her than it should have. Though she'd spoken of it logically to the others, remembering it for herself was proving a monumental task. She was clinging desperately to the hope that she could somehow undo the curse that brought Black here just so she'd never have to see the woman's face again. The idea that another version of herself was raising one child with such a monster and carrying another was nauseating.

"Hey," her fiancé's voice cut quietly through her mental quagmire. "You need to eat."

"I know," she replied, but didn't move. Instead of leaving or pulling her away, Ron stepped up to stand behind her.

"I'm not stupid, you know."

She jerked her head around to look at him, horrified that he felt the need to tell her so. "Of _course_ you're not!"

"I mean," he went on. "I'm not _your_ sort of smart, but I know things... Like when you're getting so far into your own head that you need an outlet before your thoughts explode... So." He shrugged. "Talk to me?"

"I'm trying to see her as someone who took a different path..." Hermione began. "But even with the pretty face she never lost to the nightmares of Azkaban, even with her easy humor, her obvious gentleness with her daughter, the _love_ she clearly has for - " Hermione choked on her own words.

"For her wife," Ron concluded. "The other you."

"All I see is _that night_ ," she admitted in a barely audible voice. "I want to get her back to her own time because... Because..."

"Because you think you selfishly don't want her to exist here," he concluded. "Hermione, I love you. I _know_ how dedicated you are to being fair. And, even if you think you're being selfish, I know there's more to it than that. You'd have never argued for the rest of us to go into this with level heads if some piece of you weren't holding her apart from LeStrange. _Of course_ the sight of her triggers your flashbacks, your anxiety, and your... Your... PBST?"

She laughed just a bit. "PTSD, love," she corrected. "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder."

"Yeah, that thing," he agreed. "She may look healthier, but she's got the same face. Imagine if a set of twins had vastly different personalities. If one is a sadistic criminal who tortures someone almost to death, and the other is a Healer who saves the victim and treats his wounds... Well, if that victim woke up with one of those men standing over him, who could blame him for assuming it was his torturer and not his savior. That's just self preservation, isn't it?"

"That's an apt equivalent," Hermione sighed. "And you're not wrong... But I feel guilty for it all the same."

"Come eat," he said softly. "Mum heard about Black and brought us a huge pot of onion soup. And enough sandwiches to feed a small nation. And a large selection of various desserts... I can only assume she's stress cooking again."

Hermione smiled. "Sounds great."

She stood, tucked herself comfortably into his side, and allowed him to lead her out of her study and into their small kitchen, which - sure enough - held more food than Hermione thought she could eat in a week.

 _'Forget the Gargoyles,'_ she thought. _'God Bless Molly Weasley...'_


	6. Chapter 6

"You okay?"

Harry stopped dead in his tracks, suddenly realizing he'd taken to pacing in front of the fireplace. He turned to find Ginny leaning against the doorframe, watching him. He wondered for a moment how long he'd been zoned out and how long she'd been standing there. He shrugged at her in response.

"Teddy?"

"Sleeping," she assured him. "With his broom, I might add." When Harry didn't reply, she sighed. "You're thinking about Bellatrix."

"She's nice," he said in a detached way.

"Really, Harry?" Ginny scoffed. Pushing off the door, she crossed her arms and walked over to face him. Her steps echoed loudly in the old house. " _'She's nice'?_ Nothing about _'nice'_ would set you pacing about looking as if someone just told you Hogwarts was to be demolished."

"She's nice," Harry repeated. "She's funny and she seems clever and decent... Like someone I'd like to have around..."

"And?"

"What if she's trapped here?" His expression was so distressed, Ginny raised a hand to caress his face. He leaned into her touch for a moment before his eyes locked onto the fireplace and its crackling flames.

"You're not seeing her as the other Bellatrix?"

"No!" He threw up his hands. "I'm not! I _can't!_ There's no rage in her. She's got a bit of that recklessness, no question, but none of the anger. She doesn't look the same as the other Bellatrix, and I'm not talking about the after effects of Azkaban, Gin. There's something in her expression that's so radically _different_. And she has family waiting for her, _needing_ her... And what if she's _trapped?_ " He held up his arms in a helpless gesture, his voice lower, weaker. "What if there's nothing we can _do_ this time?"

Ginny was quiet then and the two of them just stared at each other until Kreacher came in. The grizzled old elf looked from his master to his mistress uncertainly.

"Can Kreacher be of any assistance, Master Harry?"

Harry laughed mirthlessly. "Not unless you're an expert on temporal magic, Kreacher... But thanks anyway."

"There is an old Dark Arts book regarding temporal magic in Master Regulus's old bedroom, Master," Kreacher supplied.

Both of the elf's companions blinked dumbly. Ginny recovered first and knelt to look Kreacher in the eye.

"Is there really?" Her tone was held less disbelief than amazement. But wonder gave way to wariness. "It isn't cursed, is it? I'm _done_ with cursed books!"

Kreacher chuckled. "No, Mistress. No curse. Kreacher will fetch it for you."

"There's no way in hell this is going to be that easy..." Harry mumbled to himself.

"Nope," Ginny agreed. "It never is. But it might give us an idea about what we're facing."

"Lucky for us, Kreacher's a pack rat."

-:-:-:-:-:-

It had been a longer and far more exhausting day than Andromeda would have liked. She knew her grandson was in capable hands, but she was regretting allowing the Potters to take him for the weekend as planned. She could have used the distraction he always provided. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to steady herself.

She could have hexed Narcissa for dredging up that old memory, which triggered her to remember other abuses as well. Most of them were not as mild as that half-failed excursion to the kitchen, so she presumed her younger sister was as disinclined as _she_ was to reveal the true extent of their experiences to the others. Even so, the old wounds felt raw all over again.

Leave it to Bellatrix to get herself launched back into Andromeda's life when she thought she was _finally_ rid of her for good. She sighed heavily and tried to shove away that little whisper of guilt that had plagued her for decades. It wasn't _her_ fault Bella went mad and it wasn't _her_ fault Cissy married a Death Eater. They made their own choices.

Her own sister had destroyed her family.

She owed her nothing. She would make certain this new Bella went away. She'd never let her near Teddy.

-:-:-:-:-:-

It was early, but Bella had never really gone to sleep. Fitful dreams haunted her - dreams in which she was running towards Hermione and Norrie only to have them pulled farther away the harder she ran. She'd given up on sleep and instead idly ran her daughter's toy car across the bed and over the pillow. It became a slow, rhythmic pattern that soothed her a bit, but didn't help her rest.

The first light of dawn blinded her as it glared through the window and she turned to stare at the ceiling instead. A few hours later, there was a knock on the bedroom door. It opened just a crack and Kingsley's voice came through.

"Are you decent?"

"Occasionally," she replied as she stood and opened the door. "But most days I'm completely inappropriate. Or so I'm told."

He laughed that familiar laugh and she flashed him a smile. It must have seemed disingenuous, because his mirth faded. "Did you rest at all?"

"Come now, Kingsley... There's no rest for the wicked." She bounced past him with a spring in her step that he suspected didn't match her real mood.

"She dreamed of sadness," he muttered to himself with a sigh.

But, without further comment, he followed her into the kitchen and watched, dumbfounded, as she pilfered through his disastrously small stock of foodstuffs as if there were nothing unusual about helping herself to his kitchen. They'd polished off the meal Minerva had supplied them the previous night, and he was a bit embarrassed for her to see just how "bachelor pad" his overall lifestyle was. But she seemed unphased by it, only letting out a cry of victory when she located the last two eggs in his ice box.

She held them up for his inspection, asking, "Not saving these are you?"

The question quickly became a rhetorical one as she cracked them over a skillet without waiting for a reply. Then she turned to his spice rack.

"Merlin, you're just as bad as my Kingsley..." She plucked up four different spice containers and shot him a look. "You're supposed to toss them once they're out of date, you know."

He chuckled in a good-natured way and let her work. After a few minutes, she'd found some moderately fresh bits of something he'd never bothered to identify to add to the eggs and the smell of breakfast wafted through the air.

"Please tell me you have some bread baked in _this_ century," she said.

He laughed and fetched it for her. "Here you are! Hardly any mold and no fangs growing yet!"

"Perfect!"

Once the eggs were done to her satisfaction and the toast was browned and buttered, Bellatrix dumped the whole affair onto a plate and poured two glasses of pumpkin juice - the only item he had a full stock of - and sent it all to the table with a wave of her wand. Almost as an afterthought, she handed him a fork and took one for herself. Kingsley, far too amused for his own good, followed her to the dining area to eat.

It was so very routine, the way she plopped into a chair and divided the eggs precisely in half before scooping hers onto her toast to make a sort of sandwich. He joined her and followed suit.

"I get the feeling you've been my counterpart's guest on many occasions."

"Oh, God, yes," she replied from behind a hand, sparing him the sight of her full mouth. "Sorry. I guess I took a few liberties, but..." She swallowed her food and continued. "We were roommates for awhile, before I married. Black Manor is mine, but it was never home until Hermione came into my life. Even after, I'd have breakfast with you - I mean, _him_ \- at least once a week."

"Don't apologize," he grinned. "You're a far better cook than me."

She smiled, but he could see her mind was elsewhere. Her gaze drifted to the Pensives in the middle of the living room. Her eyes grew darker, and he wished he knew exactly what she was thinking.

"The others will be here soon," he assured her. She nodded almost imperceptibly. Her gaze settled on his.

"Andromeda hates me." It was a statement, not a question. "Narcissa doesn't, but she seems almost afraid of me. Harry and Ginny have barely spoken in front of me, Mum either... Draco is far more snide, Ron seems to be a good man, and Hermione is distant and so _cold_. But you are still you. I wonder why..."

He raised an eyebrow. "Mum?"

She blinked, stared at him blankly, then turned away. "So that's different too."

"What is?"

"I'll explain later." The reply was barely audible. She quickly stood, said something about "freshening up" and disappeared into his guest room.

Concerned, but respectful of her privacy, Kingsley just watched her go.


	7. Chapter 7

Bellatrix had been locked away in his guest room for nearly twenty minutes when the first people arrived. It was Minerva, with Luna Lovegood trailing behind her as if arriving by accident.

"Miss Lovegood," Kingsley greeted her. "It's been awhile! How are you?"

"Oh, I'm very well, thank you, Minister," she replied in her dreamy way. "Bella needs a bit of cheering and the nargles weren't hanging about my door like they were yesterday, so I thought I'd see if I could help."

Kingsley nodded uncertainly. Then he allowed them entry before shooting McGonagall a look of confusion that could only be caused by trying to follow Luna's train of thought. The Headmistress only shrugged as if to say, _'Don't ask me'_.

Meanwhile, Luna had drifted into the room where Bellatrix was trying to muffle the sound of her tears. She clutched the little pink car and sobbed as quietly as she could.

"I know," Luna said gently. Bella's head snapped up. She hadn't heard the younger woman come in. "It's bad enough that we look like people who aren't us, isn't it? But knowing that your past never happened here is worse. It's as if all your memories are wrong, because they weren't real in this time, and to know that the future you've spent your entire life building will never be, at least for those of us who belong here... It must be devastating. But crying isn't giving up, you know. You don't need to hide it."

"Luna..." A smile spread across Bella's face. "Oh, _Luna!_ You're like Kingsley, aren't you? A few differences, but you're mostly as you should -" She rethought her phrasing. "Sorry, I mean mostly as you are where _I'm_ from... I am so relieved to see you."

Luna only smiled and offered her hand. Bella accepted the girl's assistance and got to her feet.

"When Ginny told me what happened, I knew I had to come. I wasn't certain you'd know me, but I can see now that you're rather close with Luna, aren't you?"

"Yes," Bella agreed. "She's my niece by marriage."

"Tonks or Draco?" Luna asked easily. "Or does one of your sisters have another child in your time?"

"Draco," Bella answered with a smile. "Would you have preferred Nymphadora?"

"Oh, it's not for me to say." Luna tilted her head thoughtfully. "I'm sure Luna has her own preferences and it's her life, not mine. I've no right to impose my opinion, and I'd hope she'd feel the same about me." Bella merely nodded. "Come on. The others will be here shortly. To tell you the truth, I'm curious about your life and your friends. Do the nargles bother Luna very often?"

"Yes," Bella replied, putting a friendly arm around Luna, just for a moment. "But she can handle them."

"That's nice," Luna hummed as they made their way to the living room. "Oh, look. Harry brought Teddy. I don't think Mrs. Tonks is going to be pleased."

"You're likely right on that point," Bella sighed. "Andromeda thinks I'm going to Transfigure into the devil at any moment... Morning, Harry... Ginny..." Then she smiled down at the little boy between them. "Hello, Teddy. Do you know who I am?"

The child shrugged uncertainly. His eyes changed from sky blue to her own dark brown and her smile widened. She wondered if he was aware he'd done it or if it had been subconscious.

"My name is Bella," she said. "I got a bit lost and all your friends are trying to help me get home."

"Don't talk to my grandson," an icy voice said from the door. "Harry, how could you bring him?"

"Our other option was to leave him with Kreacher," Ginny said softly but pointedly. "And while he'd do his best, we all know it isn't fair to expect an elf that old to keep up with an active five-year-old. And before you say it, Andromeda, my mother is helping at an event to aid war orphans today. She couldn't watch him."

Andromeda didn't look happy, but said nothing further. Bella, scenting danger, moved away from the child who, in her own time, would have run into her arms the moment he laid eyes on her. Then, he'd have just as quickly scampered off again to play with Norrie and Olivia. Andromeda's harsh gaze followed her. Luna, being Luna, happily planted herself next to Bella, a silent but clear ally.

Once everyone had gathered, Harry cleared his throat. "Before we get started... We've got a book that may prove useful."

Hermione made a distressed noise and Ron patted her arm gently. "She spent half the night tearing through her library, trying to find more detailed information," he explained as his fiancée glared at the book in Harry's hand as if it had deliberately betrayed her.

With all due caution, Harry approached and held the book out to her as if edging toward an annoyed dragon. She snatched it from his grasp and began flipping through the pages. It was a moment in which the differences between Hermione and her counterpart melted away, and Bella had to suppress both a laugh and a stab of longing. 

Ron glanced at her and seemed to read her expression. He smiled sympathetically and a sort of determination settled into his eyes. How could this kind, caring young man have become the monster who had haunted her worst nightmares of the war?

"Basically," Harry said, still eyeing Hermione as she consumed the book in her hands. "Bella, your life will need to be pretty much laid bare from the moment of the divergence... Not the day-to-day minutia, mind you... But any event like... Weddings, deaths, battles you participated in... The day you and your wife got engaged, the day you met her, the day you became a couple... Everything. And, Ron, you'll be entering every memory from here on."

Bella had gone just a touch pale, wondering just how much of her privacy she'd have to give up. Ron had likewise lost his color.

"Why, exactly?" The red head nearly squeaked. "Watching stuff until we find the divergence is one thing, but... This sounds _really_ invasive, mate. And why do _I_ need to see so much?"

"Because your magical signature will be the same across all timelines," Hermione answered, having just read it. " _Your_ magic sent her here, Ron. _Your_ magic is therefore the only guaranteed way to send her back. The more knowledge you have of where she came from and who she became over time, the greater the chances that the spell will succeed."

"But," Harry sighed. "Even though we can try as many times as we need to, it's all worthless if we don't pinpoint the moment of divergence."

"Which we're closer to doing already," Bella said. "It's sometime between when I was nine and when I was twelve."

"How do you know that?" Narcissa asked.

"Because," Bella replied. "Over breakfast I commented that Mum hadn't said much in front of me, and Kingsley didn't know who I meant."

A few minutes of everyone silently processing that information faded into a few minutes of realization slowly registering with the group. They regarded each other until, one by one, all sets of eyes fell on Minerva McGonagall, the only person present old enough to reasonably be Bella's mother figure.

"I think we need to see how this occurred," Minerva said reasonably, though her voice seemed a touch quieter than normal. "Will we need a control for memories Ron isn't a part of, Hermione, or can he be the control by default?"

"It wouldn't hurt to have an additional control, since Ron's part will have to be so large."

"I'd be happy to participate," Luna volunteered.

"Where's Father?" Draco asked suddenly. A quick glance around the room confirmed he wasn't present. Narcissa gave a long-suffering sigh.

"He said he'd come if needed," she answered. "But that he'd rather not leave the Manor unless it was necessary."

"Bella," Minerva got them back on track, gesturing towards the Pensives. "Whenever you're ready... Who will be joining us?"

"Cissy and Andy. Did... Did Dumbledore die in your timeline as well? If not, we'll need him, too." The downcast looks on the others gave her the answer. "Just the four of us, Luna, and Ron, then..."


	8. Chapter 8

The sight of Black Manor's imposing interior met their eyes when they entered Bella's past. A glance out the window told Minerva it was early summer, and, while she was curious, she was also battling a whisper of guilt. Could she have saved lives if she'd only adopted Bellatrix when she was a child? Had her counterpart picked up on a red flag that she had missed?

She didn't have time to ponder it for long. In the entryway, a young Bellatrix, still in her Hogwarts uniform, was walking towards them with her family. Andromeda and Narcissa clung close to their eldest sister and her arms were draped over them holding them tight. Druella kept shooting the trio disapproving glares.

"Enough of that," the woman finally snapped. "The three of you, spread out and stand up straight! You'd think no one had taught you how to behave like proper Purebloods!"

"Sorry, Mother," Little Narcissa said automatically and they did as they were told.

"Exactly how much weight have you _gained_ , Bellatrix?" Druella demanded. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were pregnant."

Flabbergasted, Minerva looked at their parents and tried to find any sign of love in them. Young Bella looked healthy to her... Trim and athletic, a lovely little girl... Muscular, yes, but hardly an ounce of fat anywhere. Just as her eyes fell on him to see if he shared his wife's disdain, Cygnus Black bellowed loudly for an elf. Ron jumped at the sound, then put a finger in one ear to rid himself of the sudden ringing, shaking his head like a dog.

"Sidley! Get in here and fetch my daughter's trunk!"

"Her name is _Settie_ ," the young Andromeda whispered to herself with a sigh.

"Sidley! Do your job!"

The elf appeared, but seemed to know better than to correct her master. She took hold of Bella's school truck and Disapparated with it before she could be screamed at any more.

"How was school, Bellatrix?" Her father's smile was clearly forced, making him look angry instead of interested.

"I'm top of my class, Father," she replied cautiously.

"Well, you'd damn well better be," he sneered. "Get changed out of your school robes at once and meet me in the ballroom the moment you're presentable."

"Am I to dress for a ball, or simply for a meeting of some sort," the girl asked warily.

"Either will be fine," he continued to smile at her in a rather unfriendly way. "Your sisters need not join you."

The collective shudder that went through both the adults watching the memory, as well as the children they'd once been, spoke volumes about the danger they sensed in those words. Minerva found herself moving closer, wanting to comfort them somehow.

"Oh, dear," Luna said in a conversational sort of way, looping her arm loosely through Bella's. "He intended to harm you."

Whether it was instinct or sympathy, Minerva didn't know, but Ron stepped between the adult Bella and her father as if he could somehow save her from her own history.

They followed as the children went upstairs and the younger two immediately cornered Bella as she moved automatically to her wardrobe.

"Don't trust him, Bella!" Andy said.

"I don't."

"Don't go _down_ there!" Cissy begged.

"I have to."

"Bella, he's going to do something _awful!_ " Andy grabbed her by the sleeve.

"I know!" Bella finally snapped.

"Bella!" Little Cissy, eight by this point, was crying.

"You need to trust me, Cissy," Bella whispered. "You know how you're our best shot at getting food?" The girl nodded. "You know how Andy is the best at creating diversions?" Another nod. "What do _I_ do, Cissy? Tell me what it is I always do."

"You get _hurt!_ " Narcissa burst out with a sob.

"No, you insufferable little brat," Bella said, though the smile and the not-entirely-suppressed laugh took the heat out of her words. "I _plan_."

"What do you want us to do?" Andromeda seemed subdued.

"You," Bella pointed at Cissy. "Make sure the broom shed is unlocked. Andy, grab our stash, hide it in your charmed bag, and make sure Cissy doesn't get caught. Then, both of you, go sit in the library across from the ballroom. Leave the terrace doors open. Be ready for anything. If we need to run, we'll run."

"Where will we go?" Andy asked while Cissy began to hiccup.

"Leave that to me." Bella's daredevil grin stretched her lips. "Now, help me find something Father can't complain about that I haven't outgrown."

Bella had finally settled on a black pair of pants and a silvery-grey top worn under a nice set of blue robes. The outfit would be "decent" in her father's eyes, while still allowing her enough range of motion to run if she needed to. She was careful in selecting her shoes as well - boots charmed to feel like Muggle trainers. It was a neat little bit of spell work she'd learned from a fifth year in her House.

"You know what to do," she whispered to her sisters.

Then, head held high, she made her way to meet her father. She pushed the ballroom door open, surprised to see not only her parents, but also a man who stood with his back to her. She couldn't see his face, but he was tall and thin.

"Is that -?" Ron began.

"Voldemort," the adult Bella confirmed.

"Oh, this is going to be ugly..." Ron mumbled.

"Bellatrix," Voldemort said without turning. "I trust you know who I am?"

"Yes," the child replied, her throat clearly gone dry. Still the man didn't face her, choosing instead to fall silent.

"You know your duty, don't you, Daughter?" Her mother's voice cut through.

"My duty?"

"You are to join the ranks of the Death Eaters the moment you are of age," Voldemort informed her.

"What if that isn't what I want?" The girl dared to challenge them.

" _ **CRUCIO!**_ " Her father's curse hit without warning.

"No!" Ron shouted, as if he could stop it. "Merlin!"

The adult Narcissa was crying now, though Andromeda merely looked away. Minerva caught herself grinding her teeth and had to actively make an effort to stop.

"He's certainly a cruel man, your father," Luna noted. Bella just nodded.

The child on the floor writhed, screaming, until Cygnus released her.

"I'm sorry, dear, but _what_ did you say?" He demanded.

"I said I don't want to!" Bella growled back. "I said _no!"_

It was her mother who attacked her this time, but with a different spell. Her daughter's young body was thrown harshly across the room, building speed as she bounced violently off of the walls, the ceiling, the floor, and several pieces of furniture. She was quickly battered and bruised, finally landing like a rag doll in the middle of the room.

Not one to admit defeat, she nonetheless staggered to her feet and forced herself to stand defiantly against them.

"Enough," Voldemort interrupted, without raising his voice. "There are simpler ways to win her over. Which is why I've come in the first place, as you know."

Cygnus sighed deeply and Druella seemed to reign herself in with a great effort.

"As you wish, My Lord," her father agreed.

"Drink this, Bellatrix," her mother commanded, handing her a goblet of something that smelled indescribably _good_.

 _'Too good...'_ the girl seemed to think.

"No, thank you, Mother," she managed. "I'm not thirsty."

"Take the bloody cup and _drink_ it, you little bitch!" Cygnus hissed at her.

Instead, the child threw the contents into his snarling face. Her father gagged as some went into his mouth and down his throat. That was all that saved her. He turned his attention to Voldemort and began...

Young Bella and several of the group viewing the memory gaped for a moment.

Cygnus Black was proclaiming his undying love for the Dark Lord. Druella only rubbed her eyes with one hand, exasperated, giving her eldest daughter the moment she needed to break away. The girl pulled her wand from her sleeve and magically sealed the door behind her. She tore across the hall to collect her sisters, grabbing little Narcissa's hand.

"Let's _go!_ "

A moment later, the three of them were pulling their parents' brooms from the shed and mounting them, Cissy riding with Bella.

"They'll _kill_ us for taking their brooms!" Narcissa feared.

"I'm not convinced they won't kill us regardless," came Bella's retort. "Andy, stay close!"

They kicked off and were just flying low over the treetops to hide themselves from the view of the house when their parents and Voldemort made it to the door. For whatever reason, they didn't follow.

"Where are we _going_ , oh great master planner?" Andromeda demanded.

"London first, to King's Crossing!" She answered. "Then we'll follow the tracks to Hogsmeade and hope there are still a few teachers left at the school!"

"We're going to Hogwarts?" Narcissa asked.

"We're certainly going to try!"

"Oh, that's clever," Luna praised her. "Heading back to the school..."

"This is weird..." Ron said, looking down at their feet. They were keeping up with the children, but it seemed that, because the little girls were on brooms, they appeared to be effectively walking on air.

"This part actually takes awhile and not much is said aside from complaints of hunger and whining about the heat," Bella interjected. "Mind if I speed things along?"

When no one objected, she did just that, slowing to normal speed only when the lights of Hogsmeade glistened below.

"We're nearly there," An exhausted Bella told her sisters, nudging Narcissa just a bit. The youngest had been half-dozing and moaned a bit. They landed and started trudging towards the school, arriving at the gate just as McGonagall reached it from the other side, a bag slung over her shoulder. The professor took in the sight of her student's injuries and immediately eyed the younger two for similar evidence of a struggle.

"Miss Black!" She gasped. "What are you doing back here? What in the world happened to you?"

"My parents, Professor," Bella's voice trembled now, giving up her brave front now that she knew she'd be safe. "They tried to give me to..."

"Bellatrix?" The woman opened the gate and pulled the three inside. She knelt in front of them, gripping Bella's shoulders gently. "Tell me."

"They tried to give me to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Professor!" Bella was crying now.

Not wasting another moment, McGonagall cast a Patronus. "Go to Dumbledore. Tell him to meet me in the Hospital Wing." As soon as she'd given it her orders, the Patronus rushed off. McGonagall turned to Bella's sisters.

"Are either of you injured?"

"I'm tired..." Narcissa whimpered and Andromeda took her hand.

"They only hurt Bella," she said.

"They _always_ hurt Bella," Cissy mumbled. "Andy distracts them, I get the food, Bella gets hurt..."

"Can you carry your sister?" McGonagall asked as she scooped up Bella and held her bridal style. Andromeda nodded with something like resignation and hauled Narcissa onto her hip.

Madame Pomfrey had already left for the summer, so Minerva watched her younger self quickly assess and begin treating Bella's wounds. Dumbledore arrived a moment later and began assisting without comment or question.

"I'd give her a sleeping draught," McGonagall muttered to Dumbledore. "But there's nothing to treat her concussion first."

"Rather remarkable that she flew here on a broom," Dumbledore winked at the girl in the bed. "You've got more willpower than most, Miss Black."

"We may need to get a Healer here," McGonagall sighed. "I'm sure her parents will be looking for her; I'd rather not send her to St. Mungo's."

"Agreed," Dumbledore nodded. "I'll send for one as soon as I hear what I'm sure is quite the harrowing tale from our patient and her fellow adventurers."

It took awhile, but slowly they coaxed out the events of the day. Then, after such a long silence, the floodgates opened. Abuse upon abuse layered over years... Tales of Cruciatus Curses and beatings... Nights of stealing food, hoarding Knuts from the floor and the sofa...

Finally Dumbledore looked at Andromeda. "May I ask what's in your bag, my dear?"

"Two changes of clothes for each of us, forty-two Knuts, a bit of food, and Narcissa's unicorn stuffy."

"Do you have anything else?" McGonagall asked gently.

"Yeah," Bella managed a grin. "Two brooms belonging to our parents, the clothes on our backs, and sunburn from flying here on a hot summer day."

"They'll need a guardian," Dumbledore mused. "If we already have someone in mind, it will be easier to transition them while the Ministry investigates their home. They have an aunt and uncle, if I'm not mis-"

 _ **"No!"**_ All three shouted at once.

"They're just as bad," Andromeda supplied.

" _I'll_ take them."

Minerva was quite pleased at the tone her counterpart had taken. It was firm, left no room for argument... And carried just a hint of a threat to anyone who might challenge her. She watched as a lifetime of tension melted from the battered child in the hospital bed beside her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My phone is the enemy.
> 
> As I finished this chapter, it deleted it... Aaaand I had to start over. I may have "errors of pure frustration" in this one. I'll fix them when I'm not pissed off anymore. Sorry.

Minerva thought the memory would have ended when she took custody of the Black children, but she'd been wrong. Just as the Healer arrived to better tend to twelve-year-old Bella, Settie the elf appeared before them, a pair of young, dark haired boys in tow, one on either side of her.

"Siri!" Cissy squealed happily, hugging them. "And Reg!"

"Pardon Settie, sir and miss," she said to the teachers. "But Master Cygnus has ordered his daughters be brought home immediately - "

"These children aren't going _anywhere_ ," Minerva snapped.

The elf grinned at her. "Yes, miss. It is a good thing Master ordered _Sidley_ and not _Settie_ , isn't it, miss?" She winked. "Settie has been waiting to use this loophole, miss."

"Settie, he'll hurt you," Cissy said regretfully as McGonagall suppressed a smile.

"Hey!" The older boy said indignantly. "What's going on here?"

"Forgive Settie, Masters Sirius and Regulus," the elf said. "But Settie thought your parents might punish you for your cousins running away, sirs. So Settie is helping."

"Well, Minerva, how would you like to handle this one?" Dumbledore looked mostly amused, already knowing her response in regard to the little boys.

"Seems simple enough to me," she shrugged. "Looks like I've got five children now. Provided I have proper support at the custody hearing, of course..." She eyed him pointedly, and he chuckled appreciatively, nodding.

"Pardon me," the Healer interjected. "But this girl should really be in the hospital."

"Not an option, unfortunately," McGonagall told him.

"You say she rode here all the way from Black Manor? On a broom?"

"Carrying her youngest sister," Dumbledore added.

"She has internal injuries that are not insignificant, Headmaster. The amount of pain she must be in makes that virtually impossible."

"And yet, here she is," Dumbledore said. "Never underestimate a spirit motivated by love, Mr. Everett."

"Hey, I still need an answer," Sirius demanded. "What's going on and what's wrong with Bella?"

"Mother and Father tried to kill her," Andromeda replied casually, answering both questions at once. Sirius blinked a few times and fell silent. Bella had been watching, listening from the bed, as all this went on around her.

"Can you really do it?" She asked McGonagall, almost afraid to hope. "Can... Can you really just _claim_ us and stop them from sending us back?"

Minerva watched her younger incarnation carefully position herself on the edge of the bed so as not to jostle the injured girl. "Are you willing to show your memories to a Ministry official as proof?" Of course, Bella nodded, though she winced at the pain the movement caused. "Well, that's all we need... To prove them and your Aunt and Uncle unfit to raise you... And I certainly have a steady job and plenty of experience with children... With the Headmaster backing us, I'm certain I can obtain custody of the lot of you... If that's what you want..."

Bella clutched the woman's hand, smiling as her eyes grew heavy. She heard the Healer say something about a Sleeping Potion. Before she drifted off, the last thing she heard was little Regulus' voice, followed by a soft laugh.

"'Scuse me, New Mummy? Getting hungwry!"

-:-:-:-:-:-

Minerva hadn't realized she'd been crying until she exited the Pensive. She hastily wiped her face dry and turned to look at the others. Bella's expression was a mixed bag. She could see the relief and the gratitude that carried over from the memory, but also the sadness. Andromeda was closed off, a blank mask. Narcissa was staring into the Pensive with something like longing. Ron, silent but clearly disturbed, had taken up position beside Bella as if he were her own personal bodyguard. Only Luna looked unperturbed, though that was hardly unusual.

"Anything useful?" Hermione asked.

"It was nothing like what I remember from that day," Andromeda scoffed. She made for the other Pensive, pressed her wand to her temple and dumped the memory unceremoniously into it. She glanced back at the others who, by unspoken consensus, moved to watch Andromeda's version of events.

-:-:-:-:-:-

They landed in the same spot, but the similarities ended there. Bella stood straight and tall, her head held high. Her sisters clung together, but she held herself apart.

"Settie, take my trunk upstairs to my room," Bella ordered smoothly before her father could do it. She glanced over at Andromeda and Narcissa and raised an eyebrow. "Are you two orphans from a gothic novel guarding one another from the cold?" She asked. Then she rolled her eyes as they blinked at her. "You're _Purebloods_. Stand up straight and don't clutch at each other. It makes you look weak."

Druella begrudgingly hummed her approval, though she was eyeing Bellatrix's clear muscle tone and biting back some remark about her weight.

"Did school go well?" Her father's voice was harsh, but Bella didn't seem to notice.

"I'm top of my class, as expected," she replied dismissively. "Not that there's much of a challenge. Though I suppose we can't expect better with that old dolt of a Headmaster in charge of the curriculum..."

"Change into something decent and meet me in the ballroom," Cygnus ordered.

"Certainly, Father."

Without waiting for her sisters, she glided upstairs to change. Momentarily stunned, Andromeda and Narcissa glanced at each other, then hurried after her. When they reached their sister's room, Bella was already changing into a green and silver dress.

"Bella, you can't really intend to go _down_ there!" Andromeda laughed mirthlessly.

"And why not?"

"You bloody well _know_ why not!" Her sister snapped.

"They'll either punish me for something ridiculous or they won't, Andy. Staying up here changes nothing. Except, perhaps, the location of the punishment."

Bella pulled on a nice pair of boots and stood. "You need to accept it. We have a place in society as Purebloods. We have expectations to meet."

With that, Bellatrix started back down the stairs. Andromeda followed, eavesdropping at the ballroom door.

"You know who I am, Bellatrix?"

From inside, Bella gasped. "Yes, My Lord!"

There were some mutterings about duty and a mention of the Death Eaters... It was almost unintelligible until Bella said, "You mean... You want _me_ as a Death Eater, My Lord? I've only just returned from my first year at Hogwarts! How have I earned an offer like this?" Her voice was trembling, the only sign she wasn't overjoyed by the invitation.

"You are powerful for one so young," Voldemort said. "You will not join our ranks until you're of age, of course... Though..." He seemed to address the girl's parents now. "Give it to her."

"Drink this, Bellatrix," her mother ordered. She must have obeyed, because the next thing Andromeda heard was her sister falling all over herself to do whatever Voldemort told her to do.

"It worked..." Cygnus sounded mildly surprised.

"Amortentia can be a wonderful thing," Voldemort said with a cruel laugh.

Disgusted, Andromeda turned and went back upstairs to her room, glad that Narcissa hadn't come back down with them.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter in a row my phone deleted. Second chapter I had to rewrite.
> 
> Do you believe me yet when I say _my phone is the enemy_?

They exited the past again. But this time, Bella had a look of mildly thoughtful confusion.

"It must have been before this, then... The divergence..." She sighed.

"You're certain it isn't within the memory?" Hermione asked, perhaps a bit more sharply than she'd meant to.

"I'm sure," she replied. "It was too different, right from the start... _I_ was too different..."

It took a moment before anyone realized Narcissa was shaking, gripping the Pensive for balance, her eyes shut tight. In fact, it wasn't until she took a ragged breath that anyone noticed her at all.

"You selfish _bitch!_ " she snarled without looking up. Her flashing eyes caught Harry's and she pointed a trembling finger at Teddy. "Get that child out of this room immediately!"

It wasn't a tone Harry was going to question or argue with. Without a word, he scooped up his godson and vanished down the hall. The moment they were out of sight, Narcissa turned and punched Andromeda right in the nose. A round of shocked screams and protests and Draco's startled " _Mum!_ " resounded through the room. Bella hurriedly planted herself between the two, pushing them apart, holding a placating palm toward each of them.

"Hey, now!" She gasped. "No need for this, right? We can find a better way to - " She broke off and a contemplative frown wrinkled her face. "When the hell did _I_ become the middle sister?" She wondered out loud.

Narcissa was jabbing a finger in Andromeda's face, screaming at her. "You never said a _word_ , damn you! Not to me when you came upstairs... Nor to any teacher when you got to Hogwarts, clearly, because I just saw what would've happened if you had! I knew you were angry when she went to school and left us behind, but _this_ , Andy? This from _you_? How _could_ you?"

Andromeda wiped the blood gushing freely from her nose and returned Narcissa's glare. "And what should I have said? She made her choice."

"You mean she had it made _for_ her!" Narcissa was sobbing as she shouted now. "Did it really never occur to you that someone should _know_ that our sister was _**having Amortentia poured down her bloody throat?!**_ " Narcissa shot Bella a pained glance before pointing at her and returning her gaze to Andromeda. "She became the whipping girl the _moment_ you were born, and it only got worse for her when _I_ came along! She took every punishment she could for us, every tongue-lashing, every criticism, every beating, every Cruciatus! When there wasn't enough food for three _she_ went hungry! And you... _You abandoned her!_ She needed help and you just _walked away!_ "

Bella grabbed Narcissa's arm before she could swing at Andromeda again, pulling her into a tight embrace. The younger witch clutched her, openly sobbing into her neck. They sank to the floor together and, for once, Bella had no joke to break the tension. She was too shocked. Instead, she rocked Cissy and stared, wide-eyed, at the others who could only return her stunned expression.

"She came home spouting all that Pureblood nonsense," Andromeda retorted. "And I never asked anyone to fight my battles for me."

"You didn't ask," Narcissa conceded bitterly. "But you certainly didn't object, did you? You never protected her like she protected us... You realize, don't you, that this means the potion had to have worn off during the _decade and a half_ she spent in Azkaban? With the bloody _Dementors!_ And it completely negates her responsibility for everything he made her do! She lived and died a victim. And _now_... Now it makes sense... Her confusion when she first came home... She was so lost... Convinced her life wasn't real... And _He_ started giving her potions to _'help her recover'_ , and slowly she became less confused, but she was mad all over again... I didn't realize... My poor Bella... I never knew what exactly had happened. And you _knew_ and you left her alone in the dragon's den... And you dare call her a monster?"

Andromeda, it seemed, had heard enough. She stormed after Harry and, moments later, reappeared with a baffled Teddy in her arms and went straight out the door. Narcissa buried her face in Bellatrix's shoulder once more. Her next words were muffled, but Bella could hear them clearly enough.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... I swear I didn't know..."

"Hush, you insufferable little brat..." Bella replied lovingly, stroking her long blonde hair. "Madwoman or no, your Bella was _me_ once... So believe me... She loved you dearly. She'd never blame you." She cupped Narcissa's face in her hands and steadily met her gaze. "She'd never blame Andy, either. You know that."

Cissy nodded, exhausted. "But _I_ blame her, Bella..."

"Stop right there." Bella dried the other witch's face with her sleeve. "Listen to me. From what I can tell, you've lost two sisters. Now, one is irretrievable... But I'm not so sure about the other. You could try talking to her without the hostility, maybe..." Narcissa eyed her critically. Bella tried to suppress a smirking grin with only moderate success. "I'd suggest you start by apologizing for breaking your fist on her nose..."

-:-:-:-:-:-

After the fireworks died down, Draco took his mother home, deciding she'd dealt with enough for one day. Harry had emerged from whatever room he'd taken Teddy to. Now those that remained stared blankly at each other, drained by the blow-up, but reluctant to stop so early in the day.

"Well," Ron suggested. "We've got to get enough information to effectively blackmail you for a thousand lifetimes anyway... So maybe you should show us something happy, Bella. Something that doesn't involve your sisters or Draco..."

Bella nodded, thinking over her options. Then she stood and walked over to the Pensive with Ron behind her. "Hermione?"

A bit self-consciously, Hermione joined them, clearing her throat almost nervously. "Wh-who's to be the control?"

"Kingsley?" Bella looked over at him, almost pleading. She knew he would refrain from teasing her for this memory, at least in front of the others. He smiled warmly and clapped a friendly hand on her shoulder. Then once more...

-:-:-:-:-:-

They found themselves standing in the library at Grimmauld Place. Judging by the half-purged state of the room, Ron guessed it was just before their fifth year. Bella was sitting in the floor in front of the fire with a series of maps and charts laid out before her. A younger version of Hermione was working at a nearby table, occasionally - _frequently_ \- stealing covert glances at the other witch. It was late enough that most everyone else had gone to bed. At this hour, only the two of them could ever be found in this room.

"Sitting in a library," Ron sighed, glancing at the grandfather clock in the corner of the room. "At 10:30 at night... _Working_... You're as bad as Hermione, Bella." Then, " _Ow!_ " as Hermione pinched the fat on the back of his arm. 

After a few minutes, Bella stood and stretched. A wave of her wand tidied up her mess and sent everything neatly into the briefcase she'd left on the couch. With a special sort of smile she hoped no one would ever notice, she turned to look at the girl. 

It wasn't proper, how she felt, and she knew it... But she also couldn't seem to stay away. She told herself there was no harm, not so long as she didn't act on it, and she enjoyed the younger witch's company, her intelligent conversation... As long as she didn't do anything improper, who would even know? 

She moved to see what Hermione was working on. If she happened to get a whiff of the other's hair, it could hardly be helped... 

"What have you got there?" Bella asked, genuinely curious. 

"I'm working on my goals for S.P.E.W. at the moment," she replied, deliberately _not_ looking up. 

"Sorry, what?" 

"The Society for the Protection of Elvish Welfare..." Hermione elaborated. "I created it to improve the lives of house elves..." 

"Oh..." Bella was intrigued. "May I?" 

"Oh, wow," Ron grinned at the two women watching the memory with him, unable to stop himself from teasing Hermione just a little. "Look, Hermione! All you had to do to get someone interested was enter an alternate reality!" His second " _OW!_ " was the result of simultaneous pinches, both on the fat of his arms, but from opposite sides. Ron cautiously moved to stand by Kingsley. 

This exchange took place while Memory Bella studied Hermione's parchment carefully. She sat to join her and the two of them bent over it together. 

"Well..." She mused. "I see where you're going with this... But..." 

"But?" 

"You're asking for too much too quickly, I'm afraid..." Bella looked over at her. "And you're overlooking an important obstacle. The elves have been systematically brainwashed into believing it's their entire purpose to serve, whether they like it or not... There's nothing wrong with your premise, but you need to be just as systematic in your own approach." 

"What do you suggest?" 

None of them missed the way Hermione slid closer to Bella at the table, clearly wanting to touch her, but not quite daring so much. 

"Stop trying to get to the endgame all at once," Bella suggested. "Break it down into smaller, more manageable goals and allow a period of adjustment between each step. For instance..." She took Hermione's quill and spoke out loud as she wrote. " _'Step one: Decree that all elves, their living spaces, and their slave garments must be kept clean and in good repair.'_ See? That's easy enough, right? And even the cruelest wizard can see that it's better not to have anything dirty in the house, surely. And in the event an elf is called for, it can be argued that a clean elf is nicer for his master to see... So that's playing on the ego of the wizard to make him believe it's just as much for his own benefit. Always useful..." 

"So what would step two be?" Hermione was watching Bella's mouth and not looking at the parchment at all by this point. 

"Merlin, Bella," Kingsley chuckled. "You look completely clueless! Did you have any conscious idea?" 

Bella shrugged as she watched herself proceed to write the next portion on parchment. 

" _'Step two...'_ " she seemed to think out loud. " _'Physical harm may not be used to punish an elf for failure...'_ Again, it can be argued in favor of the wizard if need be. An injured elf can't work as efficiently, so it's more likely to be accepted and it leads to _'step three... Any elf who faces abuse at the hands of his or her master may immediately leave and apply to serve a new family without repercussion.'_ With the previous laws in place, more sympathy for the elves will have built up, making this rule easier to accept, though I'll grant you there will still be more debate than we would face with the first two." 

"We?" Hermione's eyes lit up. No one had ever shown any genuine interest in her cause before. "You mean you'll join?" 

"Of course I will!" Bella instantly responded. "I rather like the elves..." She showed her commitment by turning back to their action plan. " _'Step four... Any household found to engage in repeated abuse of elves shall forfeit the right to elvish services.'_ That seems a natural progression, doesn't it? _'Step five...'_

Hermione took over victoriously. " _'Any elf who chooses to claim freedom may do so. A list of families and businesses willing to negotiate terms of Free Elf Employment will be provided.'_ And employers can sign up to offer those jobs through S.P.E.W.!"

"Perfect!" Bella grinned. 

The two of them looked at each other happily for a moment and then, slowly and very deliberately, Hermione kissed Bella's lips. Just for a breath, Bella kissed her back, but then pulled away with a gasp. This was precisely what she'd told herself _not_ to do! 

"I can't..." She said regretfully. "I'm sorry, I can't..." 

Hermione was instantly downcast. "There's someone else," she instantly concluded. 

"God, no!" Bella swore. "No, Hermione... It's just... You're fifteen..." 

"I'll be sixteen next month," Hermione sounded hurt. "I'll be of age in a year." 

"I'm an Auror!" Bellatrix countered. "If anyone found out, I'd lose my job, best friend for a boss or no! I've got a reputation to maintain and a nasty legacy attached to my surname to live down! Bad enough I'm a lesbian in society's collective mind, if I'm caught with an under-aged witch..." She broke off with a heavy sigh as Hermione began choking back her tears. Against her better judgement, Bella leaned in and tenderly kissed the girl again. Then she whispered. "All right... I'll make you a deal, love..." 

"A deal?" Her voice trembled through the remnants of her tears. Bella nodded. 

"If you're still interested in a year and a month..." She said. "I'll be waiting." 

"Promise?" 

Bella kissed her head, smelling her hair again. She hugged her, closed her eyes and said firmly, "Promise." 

" _I_ came on to _you?_ " her wife's counterpart sounded stunned as she watch the pair of them linger in their embrace for a few more seconds before putting away Hermione's papers. Then she shook her head to clear it. "I mean, _she_ came on to you?" 

Bella smiled fondly. "Yeah. She did." 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, look!
> 
> A chapter my phone didn't try to murder!

Bellatrix could tell that this world's Hermione was less than comfortable with the knowledge that, in Bella's reality, the two of them were married. This may not be _her_ Hermione, but the woman's mannerisms were largely the same. The way she shifted and glanced sideways at Bella spoke of her nervousness around the older witch. The way she analyzed everything, resorting to purely logical arguments, was nothing but her need to feel in control of something. The way she kept focusing on the problem at hand? That was her way of avoiding emotional contexts she wasn't yet prepared to face and cope with. The only habit Bella couldn't account for was the way this Hermione kept rubbing her arm...

The group had broken up for lunch, agreeing to meet back at Kingsley's around three, giving everyone time to clear their heads before plunging back into mind boggling temporal contradictions.

Bella found herself cautiously heading out to eat with Luna, who had promised that no one would Stun her as they ate. Bella was wary since the public announcement about her arrival and circumstances had only been released that morning, but she trusted Luna. Besides, she needed some fresh air. She wasn't used to being cooped up indoors all the time.

Her companion must have sensed that about her. Bella had assumed they would find a small out-of-the-way café somewhere, but instead Luna had steered her towards a busy sidewalk delicatessen in the middle of Diagon Alley and they'd taken an outdoor table where they could watch people walk by.

"It's much better this way," Luna said in that odd way of hers. "If you're in the open, they can see you're not bothering anyone."

Bella wanted to say she'd been out in the open the first time she was Stunned, but guessed that the young woman with her would dissuade a repeat performance of that encounter. She hummed thoughtfully, enjoying her sandwich.

"It feels a bit wrong, being out with you without the children..." Bella mused. "Usually it's picnics at the park and we're watching the little ones race their toy brooms."

"Oh, Draco and Luna have children in your timeline?" Luna smiled a bit.

"One so far," Bella smiled back. "Olivia. She's two weeks to the day younger than my Norrie. Thick as thieves, those two... Add Teddy to the mix and..." She broke off. She was making herself homesick again. "Luna was pregnant when I was. Now Hermione is six months along and Luna's at four months... It's funny, too, because people think we planned it that way and we didn't..."

"It doesn't sound so unusual," Luna replied. "Especially if you married close to the same time."

Bella nodded. "I suppose it's because Hermione and I have to put in the extra effort... So it makes people think we were timing it for when my nephew and his wife were trying."

"Yes, that makes sense," Luna agreed. "But we should change the subject now. You're getting sad and you don't like that."

"True," Bella agreed, and made an effort to follow that advice. "I like this world's version of Ron. He's a bit rough around the edges, but he's kind. Nothing like the Ronald Weasley _I_ fought against in the war, certainly."

"Yes," Luna agreed. "He can be thoughtless sometimes, but he does rather tend to make up for it. His friendship is very important to me."

"He and Hermione are together, aren't they?" She had been dancing around the question with the others, knowing they would soft pitch the answer.

"They are," Luna confirmed. "They've been engaged since right after Harry and Ginny's wedding a few months ago. I think Mrs. Weasley was relieved. She's wanted Harry and Hermione to be part of her family for a long time now. She sort of mothers everyone, but the two of them have been very close to Ron since first year, so they're unusually special to her."

"A caring Molly Weasley..." Bella pondered. "That's a clash with _my_ reality for certain..."

"Does that have any impact on your divergence point?"

"I don't think so," Bella ventured. "My family had little to nothing to do with the Weasley clan. Their lack of a family fortune made them undesirable to Mother and Father, except as soldiers for Voldemort... And their ties to Voldemort made them undesirable to Mum and my siblings and I. I didn't interact with them enough for their choices to directly influence mine until after the time we've narrowed the divergence to. I'm sure we'll investigate their influences later, though, since Ron needs to see so much of my life..."

Bella sighed. "It's a pity I can't turn my world's Ron into the one I'm getting to know here."

"Perhaps you can," Luna said, tilting her head the way she always did when she was thinking. "Anything is possible."

-:-:-:-:-:-

They'd gone home to eat, hoping the familiar surroundings would offer some peace, but the clever witch was still a million miles away. 

"Hermione?" Ron's voice almost startled her. "Did the plate do something wrong?"

"What?" She blinked.

"You're glaring at your plate as if it tried to hex you for fun."

"I'm sorry..." She sighed. "I'm trying to wrap my head around the idea that - "

"That there's a world where you married Bella?" He guessed.

"That there's a world where I'm the one who initiated that relationship... Or a world in which I'm a lesbian at all. That feels rather foreign."

"Good," he grinned. "It means I don't have to worry about her stealing you away."

"Please tell me you never really thought that was a possibility," Hermione reached across their small table and caressed his face. She was laughing a little, but she meant it.

"No, not really," he laughed. "Do you feel any more at ease with her, though?"

Hermione pulled up her sleeve to study her scar. "Not really... Maybe once I see more of her version of the war... Maybe once I see her fighting _for_ us instead of against... We'll see."

"Well, make one of your lists," Ron suggested. "Write down all the good things about the Bella we're getting to know and read over it whenever something triggers you."

A smile blossomed across his fiancée's face. "To counter my PTSD..." She concluded. "Challenge the reaction to lessen the severity of the impulse response until it dissipates..."

She kissed him deeply and he automatically pulled her close. He hummed his pleasure and held her in his lap. He smiled contentedly at her and she almost absently ran her fingers through his hair.

"You definitely know have to boil things down to their simplest form, Ron..."

"Happy to help," he grinned.

It took a few minutes, but - with Ron's assistance - Hermione had pieced together a list of things that Bella could call her "strong points". By the time she finished, the list was nearly three feet long, all printed in her tiny handwriting.

Ron smiled over her shoulder. If _he_ couldn't be with Hermione in every timeline, he was glad this alternate reality's Bellatrix was with her. After all, Bella was _strong, brave, intelligent, funny,_ and _loving_... 

It said so right there on their list...


	12. Chapter 12

After lunch, Luna sent Bellatrix ahead of her, promising she only had to make a stop and that she'd be along soon. With nearly half an hour left until they'd agreed to meet back, Bella nodded and Disapperated with a wave. Luna turned on the spot just a split second later and Apparated to Andromeda's. Bella's sister had been so upset when she'd left that she hadn't even stemmed the flow of blood from her nose.

Luna knocked once, twice, and then waited. When there was no answer, she tried again. Finally, the door burst open and an irritable Andromeda stuck her head out, prepared to bellow at the intruder. She stopped short when she saw it was Luna.

"Hello, Mrs. Tonks," the blonde greeted her casually.

"Luna, what in the world are you doing here?" Andromeda blinked at her. She'd healed her nose and changed out of her blood-stained clothes.

"We'll be returning to the Prime Minister's home shortly," Luna replied. "You need someone to talk to before we return, don't you?"

"I'm not going back there," the older woman sighed.

"I don't think that's true," Luna mused. "You don't want Bellatrix trapped here and it's your best chance to reconcile with Narcissa. It's unfortunate that she hit you, of course, but the two of you can at least start to discuss how you each feel now."

Andromeda gingerly touched her face where she'd been punched. "I think dear little Cissy has made it abundantly clear _how she feels_ and even clearer that she doesn't want to see me. As for Bellatrix... She murdered my family."

"This Bellatrix isn't your estranged sister, Mrs. Tonks," Luna pointed out. "She's a retired Auror with a family - people who might've been us once. Apparently, where she's from, Draco and Luna have a child who is quite close to Bella's daughter and Teddy. Wouldn't seeing that make you happy for them? And I think it would be a way for Teddy to get some idea of what his parents were like. From what I've heard from Bella, they sound quite similar to Professor Lupin and Tonks."

"And when he begins asking why they survived in the other timeline, but not this one?" Andromeda scoffed. "What am I supposed to say?"

"That it's very sad they didn't," Luna replied evenly. "And that we're all allowed to be hurt and angry that they're gone. At least we can be happy to know that there is a different world in which they're alive. Besides, it isn't as if any of us are alone." She gave Andromeda a look that was, for Luna, exceptionally pointed. "Unless, of course, we isolate ourselves and refuse to let people in. But, then, that's an individual choice. I'll see you soon, Mrs. Tonks."

-:-:-:-:-:-

The knock on the door almost startled Narcissa. She'd been scolding herself for the manner in which she'd attacked Andromeda, but in that moment she had been so _angry_... It was shocking to learn that Bella had fallen victim to the strongest love potion known to their world, and that Andy had known about it from the very first day... Years of pent up emotion had simply exploded from her. 

Still, she was horribly ashamed of herself. Draco had brought her some tea - with just a drop of Firewhiskey. That's when they'd heard someone at the door. Boeby, the family's most reliable elf, soon stepped into the room.

"Pardoning me, Mistress," he said. "But there be a young lady with big eyes that I has never seen before at the door asking for Mistress...."

"Sounds like Luna," Draco remarked. "Bring her in, Boeby. She only _looks_ like she's here by mistake."

"Y-yessir, Master..." Boeby said and left them. Mere seconds passed before Luna stood in front of them.

"We should be getting back now," she told them. "Bella will be counting on us to help her find the divergence. Being forced to relive every major event in her life is going to be tiring for her. She'll likely need all the support she can get."

"Luna," Draco began gently. "I think my mother needs some time..."

"Yes, that too," Luna nodded. "If we hurry, perhaps she can have the time she needs with Mrs. Tonks as well."

With that, Luna gently removed the teacup from Narcissa's hands and placed it on the nearest table. Then she took both Malfoys by the hand and began walking towards the door. 

Though she wasn't forceful and wasn't dragging them, the other two found themselves heading outside with her. It was automatic.

Draco shot an amused smirk at his mother's expression. "No one argues with Luna," he told her.

"Oh, they do..." Luna said, but added thoughtfully. "Though the same people tend to complain about headaches when they leave... It's the nargles."

Narcissa whispered to her son before they Disapperated. "What's a nargle?"

Draco only shrugged.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Bella was the first to arrive back at Kingsley's. She opened the door to find him stuffing himself with takeout, surrounded by a variety of small, folded boxes, all open to reveal their contents. She entered with a grin, shutting the door behind her.

"Well, I see you're a connoisseur of allegedly edible garbage in any timeline," she drawled. "Though this does explain why the decade-old spices you were hoarding hadn't managed to do you in yet..."

He grinned at her, holding up a chunk of meat with his chopsticks, offering it to her. "Want some Kung Pao chicken?" He asked amicably.

"Hmm," she chuckled. "Think I'll pass..."

"Not a fan of Chinese food?"

"I have trouble considering anything packaged in greasy cardboard to be _'food'_ ," she told him. "No matter how hard you and your counterpart argue otherwise."

"Your loss," he shrugged. "Where's Luna?"

"She said she needed to make a stop," Bella said. "No telling what that means." She joined him at the table and stole his fortune cookie.

"Hey!" He pretended to object. "That's the most reliable form of Divination I've ever encountered and you're just going to _take_ it?"

" _'The bluebird of happiness shall smile upon you'_ ," she read out loud. " _'Your lucky numbers are 3, 11, 5, 13, 7, & 10'_... Oh, yes. Exceptionally reliable."

They were both laughing and almost missed the knock on the door. But then he caught himself and opened it, finding Andromeda and Teddy standing there. Bella stood and did her best to smile at them.

"I - I wasn't sure you'd come back," she admitted.

"Neither was I," Andromeda half shrugged as they entered the apartment.

"Wotcher, Bella," Teddy said almost shyly. Bella smiled and watched his hair turn bright green.

"Hello, Teddy..."

Before anymore could be said, a blond trio appeared in the hallway. Luna breezed in easily and took a seat, leaving Draco and Bella to look uncertainly between Andromeda and Narcissa. The latter pair kept glancing uneasily at each other, saying nothing.

"Be ready, Draco," Bella stage whispered after several silent moments had passed. "No telling when one might pounce."

"Yes, Aunt Bella," he stage whispered back.

"Are you two finished?" Narcissa rolled her eyes.

"That's entirely up to you!" Bella laughed.

"Sorry I... Blew up the way I did..." Narcissa sighed, ignoring her eldest sister. "I wasn't actually planning to hit you. Scream at you, yes, but... You know physical violence is not how I generally handle things... I'm not like Mother and Father."

"Sorry I didn't tell you about the Amortentia," Andromeda said quietly. "But I wasn't angry that she went to school and left us, Cissy... I was angry because Bella's letters kept sounding less and less like our big sister and more like the Pureblood Princess our parents always wanted. When she took that potion, I felt as if she was already gone for good. I didn't think telling anyone would help. But I should've at least told _you_."

Narcissa nodded.

"So," Bella said cautiously. "We don't need to set up a dueling ring?"

"No, Bella," Cissy promised and Bella looked to Andy.

"I'm not interested in fighting," Andy assured her.

"Sorry, Kingsley," Bella grinned. "We won't be able to sell tickets to raise any gold to buy you a real meal... You're stuck eating out of origami."

He laughed easily and waved his chopsticks at her. Just then, the others began arriving, so Bella missed the eye roll her sisters shared. From her perch, Luna just smiled, watching the others file in.

"So what's next?" Kingsley asked.

"Well, it won't help with the divergence point," Bella said. "But Luna got me thinking about a fairly recent memory..."

"Who's going with us?" Ron asked.

"Andy, Cissy, and, if it's okay, Teddy," she said.

Andromeda's eyebrows shot up. "Teddy?" She began. "Would you like to see what you'd be like in a different world?"

"Bella's home?" He asked.

"Yes, darling," she nodded. "The world Bella came from."

"Okay!"

Just like that, any bashfulness vanished and he ran headlong into Bellatrix's arms. She laughed as she swung him up into the air, catching him easily. She hugged him and then turned to Luna and smiled. "I think you're the best control. And I know you'd like to see this one."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I initially intended to include the memory at the end... But this chapter was like my hair when I run out of product - the more I tried to tame and control it, the bigger it got...
> 
> Meaning, like with my hair, I had to stop messing with it before it turned into a sentient monster and ate me alive...


	13. Chapter 13

The Wizarding park near Diagon Alley was clearly a bit chilly. Everyone wore extra layers to ward off the chill still lingering in the air as the seasons hovered between winter and spring. The group found the three sisters with three children, bundled up in cloaks and carrying toy brooms, easily enough and followed them.

The women found a spot they deemed acceptable and the adults allowed the children to run off to play. Narcissa started a small fire with her wand and Bella spread a blanket for them to sit on. Andromeda draped another around all three of them and they settled in.

"Well, I'll say this for the House of Black," Ron grinned, watching the children as they started a version of tag involving their brooms. "You lot definitely make some cute kids..."

Bella impulsively pulled him into a quick one-armed hug before releasing him. He nudged her in a friendly way and turned his attention back to her past.

"Oh, why did we let them talk us into this?" Cissy moaned with a laugh. "It's _freezing_ out here!"

"You can't say no to Olivia and you know it!" Andy snorted, reaching across Bella to swat playfully at her.

"Who's Olivia?" Teddy asked Bellatrix. She pointed to the three children from her memory.

"The little blonde girl," she told him. "Where I'm from, she's your cousin. The other girl is _my_ daughter, Norrie."

"And we're all friends?" He asked.

"Best friends," Bella nodded and he grinned.

The sisters in the memory were laughing again at something Bella had said. Andromeda poked Bellatrix in the ribs and sighed happily.

"So how's your child-bride?"

"When are you two going to stop calling her that?" Bella's exasperated laugh just made the others grin.

"When you're no longer three decades older than she is," Cissy retorted.

"Twenty-eight years isn't three decades..." Bella muttered.

"Maybe not three full ones," Andy grinned. "Though I guess it's nice to have someone young to help you keep up with _that_ little ball of energy." She pointed at Norrie, who was running circles around her cousins.

Bella grinned and did her best to sound indignant. "I'm not exactly hobbling about on a cane, you know!"

"Still, I don't know how you do it, Bella..." Narcissa sighed. "I can hardly keep up with Olivia part time. I can't imagine raising a toddler at this stage..."

"Hmm," Bella hummed almost secretively. "Maybe more than just _a_ toddler..."

That got both her sisters' full attention. Their heads snapped around to stare at her. They looked at each other for a moment before returning their gazes to Bella's placid face and her little smirk.

"Bellatrix! Are you - "

"No," she replied simply. Thinking she'd been joking, they started to relax, only to have her continue. "Hermione is."

Their squeals and girlish giggles drew the attention of the children, who ran over to see what the fuss was about. Teddy and Olivia stopped short, but Norrie plowed headlong into her mother, knocking her, laughing, to the ground.

"Did you tell them, Mummy?"

"Tell them what?" Olivia sounded so much like Luna it was shocking. The Luna next to them knelt and studied the child with her usual dreamy smile on her face. The resemblance was striking.

"Mama's having a baby!" Norrie said, hugging Bella tight. "I'm a big sister! Like my Mummy is to both your Grans!"

"Have you told Mum yet, Bella?" Andy asked.

"Not yet," Bella grinned sheepishly. "She found out on her own last time, by snooping, and made me tell her before I was prepared to. So this time I thought you two should know first."

The memory surely continued, but Bella let it fade out as the conversation progressed. They exited the Pensive.

-:-:-:-:-:-

"We seem so close in your world..." Andromeda remarked, hugging her grandson against her.

"We always were," Bella said. "I suspect the reason we weren't here relates back to the divergence somehow."

"It _did_ seem to start after your first year at Hogwarts," Cissy mused.

" _During_ her first year," Andy corrected. "Those letters..."

"It sounds as if we should start investigating your earliest memories of Hogwarts," McGonagall broke in. "Starting with your first day, perhaps?" 

"The Sorting is certainly a pivotal moment," Harry agreed. "But without the other Bella, there's no one to tell us exactly what the Sorting Hat found in her head... Or to tell us how it decided where to place her." 

"Yes there is," McGonagall said after a moment's consideration. "I'll be back." 

She purposefully marched out, leaving the others to stare at each other. Then, simultaneously, Bellatrix and Hermione began to laugh. Luna's usual smile morphed into a knowing grin at the same time. 

"You don't think..." Ginny started to say. 

"Has she gone to get the Sorting Hat?" Kingsley asked the room at large. Bella and Hermione only laughed harder and slowly, as the realization sank in, most of the others joined them. 

"Well," Ron chuckled. "At least the poor thing will have one day besides Sorting Day that isn't entirely boring..." 


	14. Chapter 14

The Sorting Hat was as beaten and weathered as they all remembered, but under Minerva McGonagall's care it seemed less dusty somehow. Bella could just imagine her Mum casting cleaning spells on it until it was as spotless as any person could ever get it. As the Headmistress entered, carrying the hat, it opened its ripped "mouth" to speak to them.

"So it's true!" It sounded amused. "What once may have been has appeared from across the rifts, bringing with her possibilities once thought lost forever! Welcome to our world, Mrs. Black!"

"Hello, Hat," Bellatrix smiled. "I presume you've been informed why we need you? And also of how we're going about this?"

"Yes, my dear," it chuckled. "But being wandless, as all hats tend to be, I shall need some assistance to retrieve my memories. If you would be so kind, Headmistress..."

Minerva silently pressed her wand against the hat and drew out the familiar mercurial substance. They were all a bit startled to see that the color of the Hat's memory was laced with threads of gold.

"Looks different from our memories," Hermione noted out loud. Then she seemed to chide herself. "Of course, so far we've only been exposed to human memories... No reason why the Hat's should be precisely the same..."

The Hat laughed. "The magic that makes me sentient, Miss Granger... It has an effect on such things... Plus, there's my age to consider. Time colors everything, as you should know."

"I know I was there," Minerva said. "You too, Kingsley. You were in the same year. But who's our control?"

"Harry?" Bella turned to him. "You've yet to enter."

He grinned and hurried to join them.

-:-:-:-:-:-

The memory picked up just as the student before "Black, Bellatrix" had run off to the Hufflepuff table. Then Miverva's younger self called the girl up. Bella, trying hard to look brave, shot the Professor an uncertain glance all the same and took the stool.

The room faded a bit as the Hat focused all it's attention on the child beneath it. It let out a curious hum inside her head that the others wouldn't have been able to hear at the time. Then it chuckled.

"My, my, my...." It mused. "Look at you! Such a tough little thing, with so many possibilities... Plenty of backbone, certainly... A thirst for knowledge... Loyal almost to a fault... And such big _dreams_... All that untapped power... Oh, dear girl, you could write your own ticket... But where to place you, _where_ to _place_ you?" It hummed again.

 _'I don't know what to do!'_ Bella thought frantically. _'My sisters... They're alone with my parents... If Mother and Father get upset about anything, I'm sure they'll punish Andy and Cissy... And they could easily get angry if I'm not placed where they want me to go!'_

"Yes, I remember your parents," the Hat said. "And they're not here. _I_ am the Sorting Hat. _I_ sort through the students. The question is, what qualities do you value most? You are rare, Bellatrix... You could fit in with any of our Houses... Gryffindor bravery and chivelry, Ravenclaw wit and intelligence, the work ethic and loyalty of a Hufflepuff, and the ambition and cunning of a Slytherin. Now... Set aside everything else and focus on what you want the most."

 _'I want my sisters to be safe!'_ came her instant, panicked reply. _'And I don't know that they will be if I'm not in Slytherin!'_

"Truthfully," the Hat said sardonically. "That answer should land you in Hufflepuff, but..."

 _'Please...'_ Bella begged.

"Take a deep breath and think about it," the Hat encouraged.

 _'My sisters!'_ she insisted.

The Hat sighed. "Very well, Miss Black... But I'm can't say I'm pleased with this one... _**SLYTHERIN!**_ "

The young Bella sighed with relief, while the adult version's brow furrowed in mild confusion. But she watched as the little girl ran to the Slytherin table, watched as the rest of her class was Sorted, and watched as young Bella positively _attacked_ the feast from the moment it appeared. The students around her stared in shock, and the boy next to her immediately started guarding his plate. Adult Bella smirked.

"Well, at least _that_ part's the same," she said, clearly amused.

"The rest isn't?" Harry asked.

"You weren't a Slytherin, were you?" Ron grinned. "Bet I can guess."

"Hufflepuff," Harry ventured. "The Hat said Hufflepuff first because of her loyalty to her sisters."

"Nah, mate," Ron argued. "She's gotta be one of _us_! You're Gryffindor, right?"

Bella only smirked and they left the past behind.

-:-:-:-:-:-

The boys were still arguing their points when they returned to the others. The group at large stared at them.

"Bella's not a Slytherin in her timeline!" Ron announced. "I've got ten Galleons that says she's a Gryffindor!"

"And I've got ten that says she's Hufflepuff!" Harry countered.

Kingsley and Minerva were clearly staying out if it, but Hermione met Bella's gaze and stood up. "I'll take that bet," she said without breaking eye contact. "I say she's Ravenclaw."

Expectant eyes landed on the displaced witch who paused for dramatic effect before pointing to her wife's counterpart with her usual, amused smirk. Hermione grinned triumphantly. Then she held out a hand to each of her two best friends.

"Pay up, boys!" Ginny grinned. "And may I say, you should've known!"

"We _all_ should have," Andy sighed. "That's got to be the divergence point..."

"Not much else it could be at that age," Narcissa agreed. "Even _we_ were surprised she landed in Slytherin, remember, Andy?"

"She was right, though," Andromeda said. "It kept Mother and Father happy until Christmas. They hardly noticed us or what we did for weeks."

"Hmm," Narcissa hummed nostalgically. "We even managed to nick an entire tub of ice cream a few nights later... And that basket of strawberries... We cut them into bits and mixed it in..."

"With the chocolate syrup," Andy's tone was equally dreamy. Then she suppressed a giggle. "And you convinced them they'd eaten it themselves and forgotten..."

Minerva's expression was a mixture, amusement and despair in equal parts. The idea of these women as children stealing food was still difficult stomach. The idea that she hadn't known how desperately they needed help ate at her. But it _was_ nice to see them talking, at least.

"We've got to see _your_ Sorting now, Bella," Ron laughed as his future wife made a show of pocketing her winnings. "I'd love to see a four-way hat-stall that took you out of Slytherin."

-:-:-:-:-:-

The memory started out very much the same, it seemed word-for-word, in fact... Until...

"Set aside everything else and focus on what you want the most."

 _'I want my sisters to be safe!'_ came her instant, panicked reply. _'And I don't know that they will be if I'm not in Slytherin!'_

"Truthfully," the Hat said sardonically. "That answer should land you in Hufflepuff, but..."

 _'Please...'_ Bella begged.

"Take a deep breath and think about it," the Hat encouraged.

Bella tapped down on her rising panic. _'Maybe Mother and Father will see them as two more chances to raise a Slytherin,'_ she reasoned with herself. _'I just want to learn. I want to understand my magic,_ really _understand it. I can use that... The more I know about myself and how my magic works, the more likely it is that I'll be able to find a permanent solution to the problems my sisters and I face... Does... Does that make sense?'_

The Hat chuckled and shouted, " _ **RAVENCLAW!**_ "

"Hey, Bella..." Harry grinned. "Why don't you argue with yourself a little?"

She let out a bark of a laugh. "Oh, that was mild... My thought processes, sometimes... One witch, twelve opinions..."

Kingsley grinned as they got to his name and, this time, he watched his eleven-year-old self run over to sit next to Bellatrix. She greeted him happily and he nudged the woman next to him.

"Our first meeting, I presume?" He chortled as he watched the two exchange names and shake hands.

"The start of the Terrible Two," Bella nodded with a laugh. "We were rotten influences on each other..."

"A bit hungry, eh?" They heard the young Kingsley laugh as Bella threw herself into the feast, clearly causing the rest of the table to pull away just hair. The boy on Bella's other side looked especially taken aback.

"Not allowed to eat this much at home," she shrugged.

Kingsley's face fell at that. "Oh?"

Bella grinned broadly. "But they can't stop me now! And I'm guessing I'll need all the energy I can get if I'm going to be top of our class."

Kingsley's grin returned. "Big plans already, Bellatrix? We haven't even got our class schedules yet!"

"It's never too early to have a plan," she grinned back. "And call me Bella."

"Now _that_ ," the Sorting Hat said. "Is what I would have liked to have seen the first time..."


	15. Chapter 15

The notebooks Hermione had amassed from the others were beginning to overwhelm her. She'd bought them in Muggle London and, after some instruction and a bit of persuasion in the case of the Purebloods, she'd gotten everyone to fill out their observations of the Pensive memories with pens instead of quills. It saved time and space if they could hold their notebooks in their laps and didn't have to worry with ink wells. She had been comparing as they went, drawing from the others' conclusions, and noting differences in a larger, "master" document.

She was relieved that they had pinpointed what looked to be the divergence point. Now it would simply be a matter of gathering details of Bella's life to make it easier for Ron to cast the spell and send her home...

To Hermione...

She took a deep breath and pulled out her list and began to read...

_Strong..._

_Brave..._

_Intelligent..._

_Funny..._

_Loving..._

_Gentle..._

_Loyal..._

_Forgiving..._

-:-:-:-:-:-

Narcissa wasn't sure what she was looking for when she entered the park, until she saw it. It was right over there, the place she'd seen in Bella's memory... The place her counterpart had happily received the news that a Mudblood was carrying her sister's child... The place she'd watched her granddaughter (she'd had a _granddaughter!_ ), Andromeda's grandson, and Bella's little girl play together...

She closed her eyes and shook her head, as if she could block out what she'd seen. Or perhaps hide from the fact that she had seemed so much happier in that other life... The life in which she and her sisters and their cousins had been raised by their teacher... A life in which they had never drifted apart...

Unconsciously, the woman made her way to that little patch of land and sat down, heedless of the dirt she would normally shun. She had no idea how long she'd lingered there, nor was she aware of the tears streaming down her face until a hand with a handkerchief landed gently on her shoulder. She accepted it wordlessly, without looking up. She was less than surprised when Andromeda landed heavily next to her with the sort of sigh that expressed everything.

"Where's Teddy?" Narcissa asked, annoyed with the way her voice cracked.

"With Harry and Ginny," came the hollow reply. "Draco?"

"He bought a flat," she sighed. "Stays there now. I suppose no child wants to live with his mother forever..."

"Only natural..." Andromeda agreed with that same empty tone.

They were quiet then, and the silence was neither pleasant nor distressing. The moment wasn't easy, but wasn't entirely awkward either. Narcissa couldn't get past the fact that it felt so fundamentally _wrong_ to sit there with her sister, unable to come up with anything meaningful to say.

"We really failed her, didn't we?" Andromeda's voice broke the silence, heavy with years of guilt.

Narcissa nodded. "We really did..."

"We failed each other as well..."

Narcissa closed her eyes again and wrapped her arm around her sister's. She tucked her head, laying it on Andromeda's shoulder as she had when they were children, listening to Bella's mirthful voice reading them stories from the book she always kept by her bedside. Andy pressed her cheek to the top of Cissy's head...

"Perhaps it isn't too late," Cissy whispered. "Lucius wants us to lock ourselves away... Avoid the world... But if I knew we could repair some of the damage, Andy..."

Andromeda hummed her agreement. "We could at least swipe another batch of ice cream and strawberries..."

Narcissa managed a smile. "With chocolate syrup..."

The silence that followed felt lighter...

-:-:-:-:-:-

Minerva was determined to get to know the woman her other self had raised. With that in mind, she insisted on preparing a meal, just for the two of them at her home. She had to admit she was no Molly Weasley, but she could certainly hold her own in the kitchen. Bella entered behind her with the air of someone who was, indeed, returning to a beloved childhood home.

What Minerva wasn't prepared for was the slight bundle of nervous energy that made her straighten the place settings until they were _just so_ and double check every ingredient measurement twice as often as necessary. It was as if she'd never had a houseguest before! She internally scolded herself for such foolishness and actively forced herself to stop and take a deep breath. Bella seemed to sense her jitters and smiled.

"Relax, Mum," she said, forgetting for a moment that _this_ Minerva had never adopted her. "It's only me..." Then she caught herself, and let out a sighing laugh. "Only that doesn't connect for you, does it?"

Minerva chuckled a bit in spite of herself, her usual stern exterior cracking in the face of Bella's casual familiarity. Then she grew serious again. "I truly wish it did, Bella. I think I would have enjoyed raising children of my own."

"Well, where I'm from, you got five in one day," Bella grinned. "And I was under a Healer's care for the first few weeks, so _that_ was a bit of an adventure. When Dumbledore stopped by after the custody hearing to see how we were all faring, Sirius and Andy were racing toy brooms in circles around the living room, Cissy was forcing Reg to play dress up with her, and I was laying on the couch trying to figure out what to add to my medicinal potions to make them taste less like vomit. You opened the door for him, looked him right in the eye and said, _'Albus. Welcome to the madhouse.'_ "

Minerva really did laugh then. "And I'll bet he just smiled with that glint in his eye and walked carelessly into the chaos, didn't he?"

"That's exactly what he did," Bella nodded. "Then he plopped himself down on the rug with the little ones and let Cissy put makeup all over him, giving poor Reg a chance to escape..."

"We haven't seen Sirius or Regulus in any of your more recent memories," Minerva began carefully. "Are they..."

"Reg is fine," Bella said. "He teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts now... Sirius, though... There was a battle at the Ministry, and Siri..."

Minerva nodded as Bella trailed off. "That's where he died in our timeline as well. Who killed him in your reality?"

"That bastard Rodolphus LeStrange," she sighed. "But it was my fault... I'd been fighting the LeStrange brothers myself until I saw Hermione was in danger. I'm sure I'll have to show everyone eventually."

"It doesn't sound to me as if his death was your doing, Bella," Minerva gently assured her.

Bella looked up at her sharply. "I'm the eldest," she said. "I'm supposed to protect them... I didn't - "

Minerva took the woman's face firmly in her hands. "Bellatrix. He chose to go to that battle, didn't he? He chose to fight, just like everyone else. You didn't drag him along, kicking and screaming, now did you?" Bella shook her head. "Does my counterpart know you've been beating yourself up over this? What has _she_ told you?"

"She says Sirius had far more training than Hermione..." Bella admitted. "And that no matter how clever Hermione is, she was less prepared for a full-on battle than Sirius, and that she would have likely made the same decision..."

"Well, there you are... And it isn't as if you knew what would happen. As far as I know, you're not a Seer."

Bella conceded that easily enough. "Wait..." She started cautiously. "You wouldn't have phrased the question that way, unless..."

Minerva could have kicked herself.

"Mum..." She all but whispered. "Did the other Bella murder my brother?"

Minerva's expression said enough. Bella nearly flinched away, wanting desperately to will herself back into a world that made sense to her. Her mum who wasn't _her Mum_ gently placed a hand on her arm.

"I'm so sorry, Bella," she said. "But there may still be events to compare between our worlds... Things like the Battle at the Department of Mysteries that need a closer look... You need to prepare yourself for the things you're going to see. We may know now that Amortentia played a strong role in Bellatrix LeStrange's actions, but that isn't going to make her past easier to watch. I wish there were another way."

Bella nodded uncomfortably, processing that. "She killed her own family, really? There's no chance Andy was mistaken?"

"She really did," came the sorrowful reply.

The tears welled up in her eyes. When Minerva moved to comfort her, she wrapped her arms around the woman's waist, tucked her head into her, and sobbed like a child. Minerva gently stroked her hair, just like her Mum.


	16. Chapter 16

The routine was becoming familiar. Kingsley allowed his staff to handle all but the most significant matters while he spent the majority of his time with Bella and the others. They'd eat and chat, and await the others. She would joke in that easy way of hers, but he could see the tension hiding beneath her mirth.

Bella had stocked his pantry using a purse full of galleons she'd sweet-talked him out of, and she'd prepare a simple (yet sinfully tasty) breakfast. She seemed unsettled this morning, restless in a way she hadn't been before, but he was hesitant to ask her about it. He did notice, as the others slowly filtered in, that Minerva took a moment to embrace the woman. That had been nice to see. 

Upon arriving, Little Teddy ran headlong into Bella's arms and she caught him, swinging him around, enjoying his delighted squeals. Andromeda looked as if she wanted to quiet them, but must have known it to be an impossible task when Bella started a "tickle war" with the boy. Instead, she shared an eye roll with Narcissa and found a seat. By the time all the others arrived, Teddy was laughing so hard he was crying, squirming helplessly in Bella's merciless grasp.

"Bella!" Narcissa finally cut in. "Stop torturing the child. We've got memories to explore."

Bella looked up at her sister, her hair in an even wilder disarray than usual and Teddy hanging upside down, but secure in her arms. Her grin was as wide as Teddy's. Draco shook his head, clearly amused, and pulled the little boy from their Aunt's grip.

"Careful, Teddy," Draco warned, though he was struggling to keep a straight face. "She may not be scary, but she's not _tame_ in any reality..."

Bella showed every sign of wanting to drag Draco into the tickle war, but Hermione's voice cut in. She was fighting a smirk, though, so Bella counted that as a win.

"I think we should pick up with what happened just after you ran off to Hogwarts with your sisters," she suggested. "We'll try to keep the memories in order from here on. It'll make this easier, I think."

Bella nodded and took a deep breath. "Is there..." She began cautiously, fearful of the answer she'd receive. "Is there a... reason Regulus isn't here? Did... Did the Bella who lived here...?"

"No, it wasn't her," Harry said gently. "It happened during the first war. Kind of a long story, but he died a hero."

Bella nodded glumly, but seemed to shake it off with a smile. "Well, sisters, Mum, and Ron... Who's our control?"

Ginny stood before anyone could answer and stepped forward. "Sorry to butt in, but I'm starting to feel left out," she said smoothly.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Minerva and the five children stayed together in the hospital wing that first night. Moving Bella didn't seem like a good idea, and keeping her newly acquired brood under her watchful eye felt important. Andromeda and Sirius had taken up beds across from them and Narcissa and Regulus had curled up at opposite ends of the bed just past Bellatrix. Dumbledore had drifted up to his office a few hours prior and Healer Everett had parked himself in a chair across the room. He was dozing, but McGonagall was another story. She laid on her side, facing Bella, marveling that such a young girl had the tenacity to save herself and her sisters in the way that she had. Bruises were blossoming across the twelve-year-old's face and neck, and Minerva suddenly realized that they had only treated the internal injuries upon the girl's arrival. They'd have to patch her up some more when she woke.

But, it seemed, Bella was already awake. She opened her eyes, found McGonagall watching her, and sighed heavily. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what, Bellatrix?" Minerva whispered, so as not to wake the others.

"I didn't thank you," Bella replied. "I should have. Immediately."

"Hush, child," the professor breathed. "You've nothing to be sorry for and I don't need to be thanked. As soon as we can schedule a hearing, you and your family will - "

A loud noise interrupted them as an Auror, followed closely by Dumbledore, burst into the room and startled everyone awake. Healer Everett jumped and fell out of his chair to land in the floor with an audible thud. Minerva stood, moving to stand between this uninvited man and her children.

"Minerva," Dumbledore's voice lacked its usual hint of humor. "Mr. Faulkerson here has some news regarding the Black children's parents."

"They are _not_ going back to those households, Albus." There was a threatening undertone in her voice and, although she addressed the Headmaster, she was glaring hard at the Auror. "I won't allow it."

"It's a moot point now, Professor," the Auror stated simply. He eyed the young ones who were openly staring at him.

A glance over her shoulder told Minerva that Cissy and Reg were clinging to one another, Andy and Sirius had climbed onto the bed with the youngest two, and tough, battered Bella had scrambled to her feet and drawn her wand. While she wasn't pointing it at anyone, the fear and determination that mingled together in her eyes spoke volumes about her readiness to fight in spite of her injuries.

The Auror cleared his throat hesitantly. "Perhaps the Healer could watch the children while we speak," he suggested. Dumbledore led the way out the hospital wing's doors and Minerva took another look over her shoulder.

"Bella, dear," she said gently. "Back to bed, please." Then she followed the men outside.

"So!" Everett said in a would-be cheerful tone. "Who wants to play Exploding Snap?"

The Blacks just stared at him for a moment. Then Sirius sighed and jumped down from Cissy and Reg's bed. "Come on, Bella. You heard her. Bed." He carefully guided her back until she was sitting on her mattress. Then he gingerly lifted her feet and turned her legs until she was fully on the bed again. 

But he couldn't make her relax. Her dark eyes flashed dangerously and locked on the door, awaiting whatever news the adults would bring. She barely registered when Andromeda joined her.

"Bella," her sister murmured in her ear. "You're making the little ones nervous."

" _I'm_ nervous, Andy!" She hissed back. "If they show up here to try and take us by force..." She trailed off and took a shaky breathe. "And I'm worried about Settie..."

"Try and relax," Sirius said, studying a particularly dark bruise an her neck. "The Professors won't let them take us. And Settie's dead clever. She'll be okay."

"I just hope Healer Everett and that Auror are still here if they show," Bella scoffed. "Make them explain what they did to me. That should help Professor McGonagall get proper custody of us..."

Andromeda hummed and nodded. Then she caught sight of the youngest two, who had taken the blanket and were now hiding under their bunk completely covered.

"Excellent, you two," she suppressed a laugh. "No one will ever find you there..."

"Except anyone with eyes," Sirius snorted.

"Hey, it's okay," Everett said gently, kneeling on the floor to speak to the pair. "You're safe here. This is _Hogwarts!_ There's nothing to be afraid of."

Bella smiled sadly, appreciating the gentleness with which this man addressed Narcissa and Regulus. She decided she liked him and watched as, instead of coaxing them out, he invited himself into what he called their "blanket fort". He charmed the blankets to enlarge themselves and float over their heads, leaving a small flap open as a "door". He had Narcissa giggling in no time.

Finally, the other adults returned. The Auror spoke a few final words that Bella couldn't hear and then left. Dumbledore and McGonagall approached. Minerva eyed the Healer with the smallest ones under the bed and nodded unconsciously with approval.

"Oh!" Dumbledore exclaimed. "A blanket fort!" He immediately crawled in. That earned a slightly exasperated sigh from McGonagall.

Minerva gathered the eldest three around her and sat carefully beside Bella. Things inside the blanket fort quieted down, so she knew the others were listening.

"I suppose the best thing is to say this outright," she pondered out loud. "All four of your parents were found in Black Manor... It appears they've been the victims of the Killing Curse."

It was dead silent in the room. The adults studied the children, trying to gauge the effects this information would have on them. The children studied the adults, as if expecting them to say more.

"Like in Babbity Rabbity?" Reg asked peeking out the flap in the make-shift tent. "Gone forever?"

"Yes, Regulus," Minerva nodded. "Gone forever."

"It was _him_ , wasn't it? You-Know-Who." Bella's question was more of a statement, but the professor nodded anyway.

"We believe so."

"So... What happens now?" Andromeda finally asked.

"We'll contact the Ministry in the morning and see about setting up a hearing, just as we'd already planned," Minerva said. "I'll petition to gain custody of you all and, as long as no one objects or unless a better candidate appears, you'll legally become my children."

Bella glanced around uneasily at the others before leaning in close so that only McGonagall could hear her. "Are they dead because of me?"

A hand reached up and cupped the girl's face. " _No_ , Bella... No... The person responsible for this is the person who cast that curse. No one else."

"Are we supposed to be upset?" Sirius asked. "Is... Is it bad that I'm not... crying or anything?"

"I'm not upset, either," Bella confessed.

"Nor I." Andromeda.

Regulus and Narcissa said nothing, but watched the adults intently.

"None of you are required to display any emotion you do not feel," Dumbledore said calmly. "Nor must you maintain the same emotion, or lack thereof. Your feelings are entirely your own."

"You can also miss certain things about a person without missing everything," Everett supplied. "And you can grieve the loss of a person without missing their impact on your life. I never knew my father very well. But when he was around, he yelled at me a lot. When he died, I didn't exactly _miss_ him... But I was sad that he was dead. Does that make sense?"

"I miss what they were like in front of other people..." Narcissa mused quietly. Then, out of nowhere, she jumped out of the blanket fort and grabbed McGonagall's hand. "Settie!" She squeaked. "What will happen to Settie and Kreacher?"

"Kreacher?!" Sirius snorted.

The two elves instantly popped into existence and looked around. Kreacher was obviously baffled, but Settie seemed relieved.

"Oh, Miss Cissy!" She gasped. "Oh, good! They did not have time to disinherit you all! Settie is relieved, Miss."

"Settie?" The other elf sneered. "Tell Kreacher what that means!"

"Settie saw it, Kreacher! He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named! He is killing our Masters and Mistresses! He is killing them for losing him future Death Eaters, he says! Settie saw it. Then Settie is hiding good and proper, Kreacher! Settie is lucky You-Know-Who did not find her..."

"What does Settie mean? How did Kreacher's Mistress lose the Dark Lord future Death Eaters?" There was something dangerous in the elf's tone. Something potentially treasonous, in fact.

"Kreacher!" Sirius snapped. "Don't be rude to Settie! Our parents are dead, and if it weren't for her, we might be too!"

It was a lie. But not one Kreacher could readily refute. Dumbledore eyed the elf serenely.

"Perhaps," he suggested. "It would be safer for Kreacher and Settie to join the elves here at Hogwarts for awhile. Just in case the killer comes looking for potential witnesses."

"Is that okay with you, Settie?" Bella queried.

"Oh, yes, Miss Bella," Settie sounded impossibly relieved. "Settie would like that very much."

"Go with her, Kreacher," Regulus pleaded. "You can keep each other safe that way."

Looking suspicious, Kreacher nodded and the two Disapperated again.

"Kreacher's going to be trouble," Sirius groused.

"What else is new?" Bella retorted.

"All, right," McGonagall prodded. "I think we've all had triple our daily allotment for excitement. "I want you all to try and get some rest. Don't make me ask Healer Everett to pass out vials of Dreamless Sleep. Albus, you'll need to vacate the blanket fort. The children will need their covers."

He chuckled softly and helped tuck them back in. This time, he took a bunk for himself, and before long, everyone had drifted off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this isn't a terribly exciting chapter, but we're setting up the dynamic between Mummy Min and her Wild Child Gang.
> 
> Hopefully Kreacher sparks enough intrigue to keep it a _little_ interesting.


	17. Chapter 17

"Whoa..." Ginny muttered as the scene shifted without warning. They found themselves standing in a courtroom in the Ministry. With them were McGonagall, Dumbledore, Everett, Faulkerson, and the five children.

"Sorry," Adult Bella chuckled. "These two memories are tightly linked for me... I wasn't able to separate them."

"When was this, Bella?" Narcissa asked.

"The next day," she smirked. "Dumbledore was always quick..."

They turned their attention to Bella's past then, watching the younger Minerva pick up a nervous Regulus and hold him. That seemed to prompt the other children to huddle around her as well. Sirius and Andromeda curled into her left side, Narcissa stood in front of her, leaning back slightly against her legs, and Bella (in a wheelchair per Healer's orders) had pressed as closely as she could against her teacher's right hip. Healer Everett stood on Bella's opposite side, gently resting his hand on the back of her chair. Just past him, Dumbledore rocked carelessly from the balls of his feet to the heels, humming tunelessly to himself. Auror Faulkerson stood stiffly at the end of the row, looking for all the world like a cranky bodyguard... Or maybe a bouncer.

Finally, the official overseeing their case entered the room with a round-bellied assistant hot on her heels. The regal woman took her station while the man shuffled his papers in a way that seemed more habitual than organizational.

"I understand we have a bit of an unusual case before us today," the woman said once she's gotten settled. "One of our oldest Pureblood families directly accused of child abuse? Is that correct?"

"That is correct, Madam Donnelly," Dumbledore nodded, his tone as easy as if he were commenting on a particularly lovely flower. "The Blacks, in fact. And my own Deputy Headmistress is here to apply for guardianship of all five children."

Donnelly arched an eyebrow and hummed. "What evidence is there to be presented? And may I ask where their parents are? Do they intend to object to these charges?"

"The parents were found dead of a Killing Curse late last night," Faulkerson provided. "An elf in service to the Black family found them and Apparated to my office immediately to report the crimes."

"As for evidence of abuse," McGonagall said a bit harshly. "You need only look at Bellatrix's face. She refused to allow us to heal the external injuries until someone here had seen them."

Sure enough, the bruises had only darkened, and they littered every visible inch of her skin. She'd deliberately worn short sleeves and a knee length skirt to show as many of her wounds as possible. The few patches on her face and neck that weren't purple, black, and blue were an angry red from the sunburn she'd gotten during their escape.

"I have memories as well," Bella said shakily. "We all do..."

"I think Veritaserum will suffice," Donnelly said dryly. Her eyes flickered neutrally over Bella's face. "If you would come forward, young lady?"

Bella instinctively moved to stand, only to have three arms shoot out stop her - one belonging to McGonagall and two were the Healer's.

"Stay in that chair, Bella," Minerva softly ordered. "I'll wheel you out." 

McGonagall gently sat Regulus down and nudged him toward Andromeda. Then, taking hold of the chair, she rolled her eldest out to face Donnelly. She flashed the girl a reassuring look and moved back to the others. Bella watched her until she'd reached the other children, then looked back at the dispassionate woman who would decide her future.

Donnelly stepped down to regard Bella, knelt in front of her, and offered her a spoonful of potion. Bella hesitated.

"You swear it's only Veritaserum?" She demanded warily. "The last time another Pureblood tried to give me a potion, it was some sort of love potion."

"On my honor," Donnelly blinked, surprised by the proclamation in spite of herself, but promised quietly. "It's Veritaserum."

Bella nodded, distrust still dancing in her eyes. She looked to McGonagall again and decided it would be stupid of Donnelly to pull something with the protective woman present. Bella wasn't even in her House, but this teacher was stepping up for her. McGonagall gave her one final nod, and Bella nodded back before taking the dose.

"State your name and then tell me... Were your parents truly abusive?" Donnelly asked as soon as it had taken effect.

"Bellatrix Black," Bella replied. "Yes. They were abusive."

"Did you sustain all of these injuries because of their actions?"

"Yes."

"To the best of your knowledge, were your Aunt and Uncle also abusive?"

"Yes," she said. "I saw Aunt Walburga throw Sirius onto a coffee table hard enough to break it. It made my uncle laugh. Regulus was always hiding in his room when we'd visit. We were all kept on strictly monitored diets... No more food than necessary... All four of them have used an Unforgivable curse on us at one point or another..."

"Which Unforgivable?"

"The Cruciatus..."

"If given your choice, who would you decide to live with?"

"Professor McGonagall."

"Bellatrix," she said. "Did you have a hand in killing your adult relatives?"

"No," Bella replied. "I didn't have anything to do with it... It was He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named..."

"How do you know that?"

"My elf, Settie... She saw it... She's not the sort to lie. I believe her."

"Mr. Faulkerson," Donnelly glanced at the man. "Is Settie the elf who reported the murders to you?"

"The murders _and_ the abuse, yes, ma'am," he answered. "She also informed me that the children had fled to seek shelter. Once the adults were dead, the magical bonds tying her to the family automatically transferred to the eldest child and she instinctively began to take actions to serve the girl's best interests. Because that same girl had just finished her first year at Hogwarts, I surmised she might try to seek some form of asylum there. I was correct."

"If you doubt the Veritaserum's effectiveness," Dumbledore said quietly. "I can assure you, all five children _were_ at Hogwarts at the time these murders were committed. Bellatrix, the only one to have reached school age and who, therefore, is the only one of them in possession of a wand, had been given a sleeping draught. No one here committed these crimes, Aurella. I know you are suspicious by nature, but please... May we move on to the issue of custody?"

"Professor McGonagall, if you will retrieve Bellatrix, please," Donnelly briskly suggested by way of reply. "And for Merlin's sake, get that Healer to finish his job immediately. Which is the second eldest child?"

Andromeda paled visibly, but McGonagall squeezed her shoulder and guided her forward as she went to roll Bellatrix away again. Donnelly held out a second dose of the potion and Andromeda reluctantly took it.

"State your name, please."

"Andromeda Black."

It went on this way for each child, though none were questioned as extensively as Bella. Each of them answered with McGonagall's name when asked who they would choose to live with. As soon as the minuscule dose of Veritaserum wore off, the child in question would rush back to Minerva's side. Narcissa actually ran.

"Professor McGonagall," Donnelly sighed at last. "Please answer for the record, do you understand the magnitude of the responsibility you are petetioning to take on?"

Minerva watched her younger self arch an eyebrow at Donnelly. The woman sighed in reply. "Professor, please..."

"I have taken charge of hundreds of students during my tenure as a teacher at Hogwarts," she began. " _As you well know_ , Aurella... I am Gryffindor's Head of House, which places me in the position as a sort of surrogate mother for every student Sorted into my House. I am well versed in child care. While I admit that I have not raised any children of my own until this point, I would certainly welcome the opportunity to do so. I might also add, you could find it difficult to find another guardian willing to keep this entire family together. I'm sure you see the value in that, surely." Her tone was almost a challenge. The Blacks were clinging to her as if preparing for side-along Apparition, and Dumbledore took that moment to chime in.

"As Headmaster," he smiled at Donnelly. "I can assure you, I can think of no one who is a better candidate than Minerva. Though, I suspect you don't need my recommendation, do you, Aurella?"

"Hodgins," Donnelly said to her assistant. "Please note in the file that Professor Minerva McGonagall is to be given temporary custody of the Black children - and list each child by name, Hodgins, none of your usual laziness - pending a full investigation into the murders of the victims found in Black Manor. If all parties present can be cleared, the custody order will become permanent at the end of a full calendar year unless the good professor changes her mind."

McGonagall raised her chin, looking proud. "They're mine for good, then." She announced, daring someone to say otherwise.

Aurella Donnelly paused to raise an eyebrow. She took in the sight of the daredevil gleam in both Bella's and Sirius's eyes... The proud stance Narcissa took that declared her every inch the pampered princess... The calculating look Andromeda had fixed on her face... And the demeanor of Regulus, the generally frightened little boy who struck Donnelly as the type to regularly suffer from night terrors...

"Yes, Professor," she agreed without argument. "I dare say they are... Good luck to you..."

And with that, the woman slipped out the door through which she'd arrived.


	18. Chapter 18

The mood was lighter than before as Bella and her sisters watched the past play out before them with McGonagall, Ginny and Ron. Since the hearing had ended, they'd followed their younger selves outside the Ministry and watched the children play a bit while the adults chatted. 

The tension from the hearing had dissipated and it was a happy group of children who waved good-bye to the Headmaster, the Auror, and the Healer before crowding around their new mother, eager for their first family outing. Bella, who was restricted to the chair, held Regulus - her cousin turned brother - in her lap with Sirius pushing them down the sidewalk. Andromeda walked beside her and Minerva held Bella's hand on one side and Narcissa's on the other.

"Where are we going?" Andromeda asked. "Diagon Alley?"

"No," Minerva smiled. "There's a restaurant not too far from here run by a Muggle-born acquaintance of mine. Tara serves Muggles and Wizards alike. The food is good, and I know most of the regulars, so I dare say they'll help us create a bit of a party atmosphere."

"Are we going to meet _Muggles_ , then?" Narcissa looked up at her, wide-eyed. "Mother and Father never let us do that..."

"Mother and Father were bigots, Cissy," Bella snorted. "The only difference between Muggles and us is the ability to use magic. And if you'd ever heard some of the Muggle-borns at school describe a _television_ , you'd know Muggles are inventive enough not to _need_ magic."

"What's a television?" Sirius asked.

"It's sort of like... A one way Muggle Floo without travel capabilities, I suppose..." Bella tried to recall everything her fifth year Muggle-born friend had told her and Kingsley. "It works off of... There's an odd word for it..." She mused, then waved it off. "Well, you know what lightning is. It's like that, but harnessed through wires that run along the insides of the walls of their houses. That's what Asher said, anyway."

Andromeda stopped dead in her tracks at the thought and had to rush to catch up again. "What in the world keeps their houses from burning down?"

"You can ask Tara," Minerva smiled when Bella could only shrug. "She'll be happy to discuss it, I'm sure."

"Lightning inside a house..." Sirius laughed. "That just sounds mad..."

"Electricity!" Bella finally remembered. "Asher called it electricity."

"I think this person Asher must have been joking, Bella," Narcissa smiled. "Who would want lightning indoors where they _live_?"

They arrived at the restaurant, and were quickly greeted by an energetic woman with large purple glasses and hair so frizzy she'd had to tie it down under a scarf. She wore an eccentric montage of Muggle and Wizarding clothing, and had a permanently frazzled look about her. Several other people waved to McGonagall as they entered and curious eyes fell on the children. Reg turned and hid his face in Bella's shoulder.

"Just in time for lunch, Min!" The woman's grin was friendly enough and almost made up for her wild appearance. "Who are your friends?"

"My children, Tara," Minerva corrected with a genuine smile. "This is Bellatrix, Andromeda, Sirius, Narcissa, and Regulus."

"Okay, either you've been holding out on me, or this is a recent development." As she spoke, Tara gathered a handful of menus and led them to a prime table near the other regulars.

"Does this morning count as 'recent'?" Andromeda grinned.

Tara faked a shocked expression that went well with her hair. " _This morning?_ " She gasped, making the children laugh. "Minerva! You've had _five children_ for more than an hour and I'm _just now_ hearing about it? I'm wounded! Gutted!" She let out an exaggerated sigh and changed her whole demeanor to one of nonchalance. "Oh, well... Such is life... To show there are no hard feelings... Lunch is on me." The last part was sincere and Minerva started to object, but Tara had already turned away.

"She's really nice," Ginny said as they watched the group settle into their table. "Is she still around?"

"She died in the first war," McGonagall and Bella said in unison. Then they looked at each other sadly.

"Was she found covered in snake bites in your timeline as well?" McGonagall asked quietly.

"Yeah..." Bella sighed heavily. "We found venom from seven different kinds... I was with the team that found her, too... Voldemort was never one for subtlety, was he?"

"She must've really made him angry," Ginny mused quietly.

"She used the apartment above her restaurant as a platform for a Muggle-born group similar to the Order of the Phoenix," McGonagall said.

"But there was no secrecy involved," Bella added. "She was _loud_ , saying she wouldn't hide and that no other Muggle-born should, either. She talked a lot about strength in numbers, and how killing her would just make her a martyr... All sorts of things like that. She had a way with words too. She was certainly influential. "

"I remember," Andromeda said. "I had to stop Ted from running headlong into that mess. I was afraid he'd get himself killed."

Bella hummed thoughtfully. "The Andy from _my_ timeline put Ted in a full body-bind and refused to let him go unless he took an Unbreakable Vow promising he wouldn't join Tara's group."

"Like I said," Andromeda muttered. "I stopped him..."

"The direct approach," Ginny nodded. "I approve."

By this time, their counterparts' food had arrived and a group of Muggle and Muggle-born regulars had begun to sing something that made _both_ incarnations of Minerva wince.

"I'd nearly forgotten about that dreadful song..." The older Minerva shook her head ruefully. The ridiculous number was only getting louder as more people joined in.

_"When first I saw Portland_  
_I questioned my eyes!_  
_I was awed by its lights_  
_And amazed by its size!_

_When a feeling of dread_  
_Dropped from out of the blue -_  
_Which it always has done_  
_When I see something new -_

_I was quite overcome_  
_With suspicion and fear_  
_So I stopped at a pub_  
_And I asked for a beer!_

_I must have been mad_  
_To go in there alone._  
_I was up to no good_  
_And I should have stayed home!_

_I was right_  
_I was wrong_  
_All along..._

_I was right_  
_I was wrong_  
_All along!_

_I was wrong all along_  
_And I knew I was wrong!_  
_I was right, I was wrong all along!_

_The back room was filled_  
_With cigar smoking gents_  
_And against my good judgement_  
_It's back there I went._

__

_They offered me whiskey_  
_Which I never touch *GULP!*_  
_And I frequently told them_  
_'No, don't pour me too much!'_

_It's not what I wanted_  
_And not what I planned_  
_But the next thing I knew_  
_There were cards in my hand._

_And like manys the time_  
_I've_ almost _resolved_  
_To never play cards_  
_When there's money involved._

_I was right_  
_I was wrong_  
_All along..._

_I was right_  
_I was wrong_  
_All along!_

_I was wrong all along_  
_And I knew I was wrong!_  
_I was right, I was wrong all along!_

_Well, first I lost silver_  
_And then I lost gold._  
_Then I lost consciousness,_  
_Or so I was told..._

_And when I awoke_  
_Things had gone quite amiss_  
_And I always knew_  
_It would end up like this!_

_There was blood and a body_  
_And bottles galore_  
_Lying right next to me_  
_There on the floor._

_I said, 'Constable, please,_  
_I'm an innocent man!'_  
_As he pulled the revolver_  
_From out of my hand!_

_I was right_  
_I was wrong_  
_All along..._

_I was right_  
_I was wrong_  
_All along!_

_I was wrong all along_  
_And I knew I was wrong!_  
_I was right, I was wrong all along!_

_The judge banged his gavel_  
_And said, 'What's your plea?'_  
_I said, 'Well, somebody killed him,_  
_But it wasn't me!_

_There's no way in hell -_  
_I was out like a light! ..._  
_But I walk in my sleep..._  
_So I s'pose that I might..._

_Well, they all left the room_  
_In the drop of a hat_  
_And were back with a verdict_  
_In nine minutes flat!_

_I was sentenced to hang_  
_By a jury of peers_  
_And so I've been dead now_  
_For a good hundred years!_

_I was right_  
_I was wrong_  
_All along..._

_I was right_  
_I was wrong_  
_All along!_

_I was wrong all along_  
_And I knew I was wrong!_  
_I was right, I was wrong all along!_

_It will never bear fruit of this_  
_You can be sure_  
_Even if watered_  
_And plied with manure!_

_There's no hope to harvest_  
_The things that you plant_  
_But keep right on trying_  
_To prove that you can't!_

_It's a minimal effort_  
_You need to exert_  
_Knowing that soon_  
_You'll be covered with dirt._

_Be certain of failure_  
_And lose every fight -_  
_And, someday, like me_  
_You'll be proud you were right!_

_I was right_  
_I was wrong_  
_All along..._

_I was right_  
_I was wrong_  
_All along!_

_I was wrong all along_  
_And I knew I was wrong!_  
_I was right, I was wrong all along!"_

The children were giggling by this point. The overly cheerful melody even had shy little Regulus engaging with the group more openly. They finished their lunch and then, after bidding their new friends farewell, they made their way to Minerva's home.

Upon their arrival, they found that Settie had been busy. She had taken the liberty of magically expanding the back of the house, creating two new bedrooms with en suite baths. In one room, there were three clearly defined spaces, each with a canopy bed, a wardrobe, a bookshelf, and a desk. Across the hall, there was a slightly smaller room, similarly divided neatly in half. The children's belongings had already been retrieved and neatly placed, making the space look as if it had always been there.

"Oh, Settie..." Minerva murmured when she saw what had been done. "Very nice... I couldn't have done better myself..."

"Thank you, Miss," the elf blushed. "Settie did her best, Miss. If the young Mistresses and Masters wish for their own rooms, Settie will take care of it. But, for now, Settie thought they could use each other's company."

The memory finally faded and the group left the Pensive.

-:-:-:-:-:-

" _That_ took long enough," Draco groused. "Do you lot know what time it is?"

"There was a lot to cover," Bella said haughtily.

"I'm curious, Bella," McGonagall interjected. "Was there a reason you all kept the name Black after the adoption?"

"Pureblood nonsense," Bella almost sneered. "The _wise_ and _just_ courts determined that, as one of the oldest magical families, the name _Black_ must be maintained for future generations." She shook her head in disgust. "It didn't matter anyway. Mum made sure we knew that. True family runs deeper than blood."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My dearest Ian,
> 
> I included that ENTIRE idiotic song just for you...
> 
> Now give me back my damn books! Ya jerk...


	19. Chapter 19

Ron was singing to himself when the group started to break up for the (admittedly late) lunch break. Hermione shot him an odd look as she caught the lyrics.

" _I was right, I was wrong all along... I was right, I was wrong all along..._ "

"Mr. Weasley!" McGonagall groaned. " _Please!_ "

"Sorry, Professor, but it's kind of catchy..."

Bella and Ginny laughed, and Hermione shook her head muttering, "I don't want to know..."

"It's an old drinking song that Mum hates," Bella explained.

"I don't want to know!" Hermione repeated with a hint of a laugh.

"Yes, you do!" Bella's laugh was unrestrained and she draped an arm over the other woman, gently bumping Hermione's hip with her own. "You _always_ want to know!" Then Bella stopped short. Hermione had stiffened and she instantly realized she was being far too familiar with this world's Hermione. She pulled away, looking down, before giving her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to - "

"I know." Hermione's reply was sincere, but loaded somehow. She was rubbing her arm again and Bella locked onto that action, using it to solidify the very real difference between this woman and her wife.

Harry stepped in and saved her. "Bella, Kreacher said he'd like to meet you," he told her. "I was hoping you'd come to Grimmauld Place for lunch."

Bella grinned at that, though not enough to entirely hide her sorrow. "I'd love to."

-:-:-:-:-:-

Bella had worried that her counterpart may have been so nasty to the elves that, in spite of any assurances the Potters had given him, Kreacher might be timid around her. Yes, Harry had said Kreacher wanted to meet her, but she had presumed that the meeting would be an effort to ease bad memories of an evil woman who had worn her face. She had anticipated the introduction with more than a drop of anxiety.

As it turned out, there was, indeed, an emotional display when they entered the home. Kreacher burst into overjoyed tears at the sight of her. He sobbed uncontrollably and hugged her legs, nearly causing her to lose her balance. All the while, he was wailing, "Mistress Bella! Kreacher's beautiful Mistress Bella! Kreacher thought he'd never see you again! Mistress Bella is home!"

She awkwardly patted the elf's back and shot Harry and Ginny a bemused look. "I think he may have missed me." To this, Ginny snorted involuntarily.

"Lunch is ready," Kreacher sniffled, pulling reluctantly away. "It's on the table, waiting for Kreacher's Master and Mistresses. Kreacher has prepared a roast goose and potatoes and soup and - "

"Kreacher, did you cook everything in the kitchen?" Ginny laughed gently.

"Forgive Kreacher, Mistress Ginny," Kreacher granted her a watery smile. "Kreacher wasn't sure if this Mistress Bella would prefer the same foods as the late Mistress Bella. Kreacher wanted a proper variety for her to choose from."

Bella's heart melted. "Oh, Kreacher, you've never prepared a less than superior meal in your life. You needn't have gone to so much trouble."

"No trouble, Mistress," the old elf insisted, his chest puffing up a bit at the praise. "No trouble. Mistress is very kind."

He bowed as low as his aging body would allow and led them to the dining area where they found enough food to cater a wedding. Kreacher had set out the good china and silver in formal fashion. Bella glanced at Harry as Kreacher seated them and had to stifle a laugh at his expression. The sight of the myriad of spoons and forks clearly left him dumbfounded.

"I see you were never a victim of Narcissa's etiquette lessons in this timeline," she snickered.

"Why does anyone need more than one knife, one fork, and one spoon for one meal?" He stared at his setting in complete dismay.

"Status and arrogance, of course!" Bella replied with a glint in her eye. "And so you can smugly look down your nose at anyone who uses the wrong utensil! What a ridiculous question..."

Ginny laughed and, after a moment, Harry did as well, shaking his head. Then he sighed and Bella took pity on him.

"Just start at the outside and work your way in," she advised. "That's what _I_ always do. I can't say it's foolproof, but it gives Cissy the impression that I'm trying, which, in turn, keeps her off my back."

"So, what's Professor McGonagall like as a Mum?" Ginny asked as they began to eat. "I imagine she'd be strict."

"Well, more strict at school than at home, actually..." Bella shrugged. "I mean, there are just _so many_ children at Hogwarts that it's sort of necessary to be firm. At home it was a bit different. She gave us far more freedom than we'd had with our birth parents. She encouraged our hobbies... And once she got her hands on the information about our inheritance... Well, from the time each of us turned thirteen until the day we came of age, Mum spent at least an hour a week with each of us, guiding us through how to manage our money and properties so that we could handle the fortune ourselves as soon as we were old enough."

"Yeah, that sounds like her," Harry nodded. "But you didn't get away with much, either, did you?"

"Not a damn thing," she agreed. "Though in Sirius' case and mine, it wasn't for lack of trying."

They told each other a few stories while they ate, comparing notes on their school day transgressions and "illicit" excursions into the Forbidden Forest. Bella had them rolling with a story about a certain stag Animagus who, on his first night traipsing through those woods, got his antlers hopelessly tangled in a briar bush.

"So, you haven't really said..." Ginny finally ventured. "Am I... Like how you've described the rest of my family in your timeline?"

"No," Bella sighed. "In your first year, you got Sorted into Gryffindor. The rest of your family were Slytherin. So your mother sent you this book, a diary, like it was a gift to comfort you since you weren't with your brothers. Except..."

"Voldemort's Horcrux," Ginny stated. "It got slipped into my books when my family bought them in our timeline."

Bella nodded. "Then I don't need to tell you what it did... Well, long story short, you'd befriended Hermione and she'd become rather protective of you... So, because of her fondness for you, Harry and Draco stepped in after she'd been Petrified by the Basilisk. They got into that chamber, found you, pulled you out... I'm afraid I don't have all the details on that one... But, after all the students had been healed... You told Hermione you were afraid to go home, so she wrote her parents and convinced them to let you stay with them. They talked Dumbledore into... Shall we say _creating_ documents to show you were legally their child and no one ever contested the assertion. When I met you, you introduced yourself as Ginny Granger."

"So I'm your sister-in-law?" Ginny perked up. "How badly do I spoil your daughter?"

"As far as I know, you've never once uttered the word _'no'_ when she's asked for something... Including a pet Hippogriff that Hermione and I had to leave with Hagrid and bring her to visit on the weekends. So, thanks for that."

Ginny grinned and raised her glass as if making a toast. Harry laughed. "So, did the other Harry get the Marauder's Map? I mean, _I_ got it from Fred and George, but... In your timeline..."

"Oh, _I_ had it!" Bella laughed. "Wormtail was always rather careless... Pringle - Filch's predecessor - got it off him in his seventh year, so James wrote me, since I'd already graduated and couldn't get detention. I snuck in through the Shrieking Shack and took it from Pringle's office. I had intended to give it back to Narcissa and the boys, but they told me not to. Pringle might've come looking for it. So I kept it safe and then sent it to Draco and Harry in their third year." She paused then, thinking. "Oh, Merlin... I likely wasn't an honorary Marauder in this timeline, was I?"

Harry grinned. "You're an Animagus, aren't you?" Bella answered with a sly expression.

"Show us," Ginny demanded.

Bella pushed away from the table, stood, and began to shrink and fall forward. Soon, where she had been, there was a sleek black fox with white markings on her feet and around her eyes. She darted under the table, and when the Potters leaned over to look for her beneath the tablecloth, they saw nothing. Then there was a voice behind them.

"Not bad, eh?"

They both jumped and spun around to find Bella standing there, hands on her hips, wearing a smug expression. Then she laughed with them and reclaimed her seat.

"Cissy may be the stealth expert, but I _do_ have my moments."

"So, there's Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs, and..." Harry trailed off, looking at her expectantly.

"Oh, those four were the only ones involved in making the map," Bella quickly amended. The rest of us became Animagi as well, but Sirius, James, and Peter were the only ones on werewolf patrol with Remus. The rest of us were basically back up."

"But you're all unregistered Animagi?" Ginny pressed.

"You clearly know about four including me," Bella nodded, counting them off. "As for the rest... Kingsley's a lynx, Andy's an owl, Cissy's a swan, and Reg's a horse."

"And no one was suspicious of the animal ménage hanging around the school?" Ginny raised an eyebrow.

"Well, it's not like we all went out at once," Bella reasoned. "Most of the time, it was Sirius and his friends. The rest of us were just on standby. For example, if James were sick, Reg was large enough to be a control for Remus, to force him back in an emergency. If something happened and Peter or Sirius couldn't make it, Kingsley and I were both able to slink low enough to hit the knot on the Whomping Willow, but we were still big enough to help steer away a werewolf before he got too close to people. If the group was late getting back, Cissy and Andy would fly over the school to scout out their location and alert the rest of us."

"I thought you said McGonagall never let you get away with anything," Harry teased.

Bella fixed him with a knowing gaze. "Oh, Harry... Who do you think _'accidentally'_ left the necessary books and materials in Sirius' bedroom after his first year?"


	20. Chapter 20

Kreacher packed a charmed bag with leftovers for Bella and Kingsley's dinner before, once again, clinging to her legs and hugging her as tightly as he could.

"Kreacher hopes it is not impertinent to ask, Mistress," he started, clearly trying not to cry. "Nor is Kreacher ungrateful for his current Master and Mistress... But does Kreacher serve his Mistress Bella in your timeline?"

"You serve our entire family, Kreacher," she answered softly, sinking to her knees to look him directly in the eye. "You primarily stay with Harry and Ginny, but any of us can call on you. You've given Hermione and I ideas on ways to improve the lives of elves... You and Settie help each other with the chores. When my daughter was born, the two of you surprised my wife and I with a quilt you'd made from patches of clothing you'd saved from my childhood." He was tearing up again, and Bella gently lifted his chin so he was facing her again. "I don't know what we'd ever do without you."

His ancient arms circled her neck and she returned the embrace. His voice was hoarse now, and barely audible. "No matter how... How _angry_ Mistress was with other witches and wizards, Mistress was always good to Kreacher... Kreacher knows Mistress Bella must go home. But Kreacher is honored, _grateful_ , to see Mistress just one more time."

"I love you, too, Kreacher," she whispered.

With a final pat on her shoulder, Kreacher held his head high and proud, determined to let her leave without falling apart. He would watch her go and maintain his dignity. Bellatrix smiled warmly at him, and kept her eyes on his as she Disapperated with the Potters.

-:-:-:-:-:-

This time, as they entered Kingsley's home, they found the remains of a Muggle fast food meal littering the table. He was just shoving the last of what looked to be a hamburger into his mouth when Bella caught his eye.

"More garbage for food, really?" She accused him. "Kingsley, _why_? Honestly! I filled your pantry, I put everything neatly away, I even found your dishes under the three inch layer of dust - "

"I have _dishes_?" He pulled a startled expression.

A laugh drew Harry's attention to the fact that Draco and Luna were already there. Ginny flashed them a grin and moved to sit by Luna. Draco was still chuckling, watching Bella and Kingsley bicker in their good-natured way. Harry found himself doing the same and made his way over to his former nemesis.

"Was your aunt ever this funny that you remember?" He asked, making sure to keep his tone light.

"Hmm," Draco considered. "Sometimes... There were a few things I got a glimpse of when she was teaching me Occlumency... Moments from when she was younger that were sort of like this." He gestured to the conversing pair before them as they continued making each other laugh. "And, once, she charmed my bedroom so that it was upside down. When I entered, I suddenly found myself standing next to the bed, on the ceiling. She said she'd done it because I was taking everything too seriously. She made me sleep like that, made me spend the whole night staring at the floor. It was _so_ disconcerting..." He laughed again, but then his tone became contemplative. "The next morning, she came in, set it right... And told me that everything is a matter of perspective. She said if I ever forgot that, I should sleep on the ceiling, wake up to see the floor... She really _was_ mad, you know... But a clever sort of mad." Draco shook his head. "It's infuriating to think about what he did to her..." He eyed Harry. "Making her kill, torture..." Something dark flashed through his eyes. "And the rest... Makes it rape, doesn't it? Bedding someone in that state, using Amortentia?"

Harry nodded. "It does. And Vol - " He stopped, knowing the name still bothered a lot of people. " _His_ mother did the same thing to his father..."

Draco let out a mirthless snort and sneered, " _That_ explains a lot... And excuses absolutely nothing..."

"Agreed."

Draco gave Harry a sideways glance. "You know, it occurs to me... I never properly thanked you for - "

"Same."

Draco looked a bit startled. Harry gave him a smile that was grim and sad and grateful all at once. "It was you who delayed identifying me when the Snatchers brought us to your family's home. You saw Ron and Hermione. You knew damn well it was me, and you lied and pretended you weren't certain. And I know you made sure we had wands when we ran for it, even if they weren't our own."

Draco gave him a would-be skeptical look. "Careful, Potter... What would people say if they ever found out you were giving me so much credit?"

"Shut up, Malfoy. We'd have likely not gotten away if it weren't for you. And, yes, there were other factors at play, too... But you helped us, and we _both_ know it."

"Is that why you saved me at the Battle of Hogwarts?"

"Maybe," Harry replied uncertainly. "Although Hermione says I have a... _'saving people thing'_..."

Draco laughed. "Like a hero complex or something?"

"I dunno," Harry shrugged sheepishly. "It's just... Everyone matters to _someone_ , y'know? So how many turns does it take before the person in trouble matters to someone who matters to _me_?"

"So each of us is an extension of the person beside us?" Draco smirked. "That's far more philosophical than I would expect from you. I'd think that would be Granger's territory."

"Point is, I think we can say we're even."

When they looked around, they saw the last two arrivals entering. Narcissa and Andromeda walked in, each holding a large serving of ice cream with bits of strawberries, drizzled with chocolate syrup. They were laughing about something and Draco raised an eyebrow. His mother held a third serving out to a mildly surprised Bellatrix.

"Since when do you indulge in nutritionally deficient foods?" He inquired, catching Narcissa's eye.

"Special occasion..." She deflected and took a bite as an excuse to break eye contact.

"Please don't tell me you stole it for old times' sake or tradition or something."

"Fine." Andromeda's voice was oozing mirth. "We won't tell you..."

"I can't tell if she's joking or not..." Draco quietly confided, forcing Harry to smother a snicker.

"So what memory is up next?" Ron asked, as Bella put a charm on her ice cream to stop it from melting.

"More family moments," she said.

And all eyes fell on the Pensives.

-:-:-:-:-:-

"This will be relatively short," Bella said. "Not like this morning's marathon."

They looked around to find that they were back in McGonagall's home. The younger Minerva was giving Bellatrix a potion before sitting on the couch with her, allowing the child to lay against her. On the floor beside them, Andromeda was reading a story out loud with Narcissa on her left and Regulus on her right. Sirius was sitting in a nearby armchair, a book in his lap, nearly dozing. The mood seemed peaceful, calm.

Until the elves suddenly Apparated in. Settie looked upset and the sneer on Kreacher's face was more pronounced than usual.

"Settie, what's wrong?" Bella tried to get up, only to have Minerva block her.

"No unnecessary movement for another week, Bella," she reminded the girl. "Remember what your Healer said."

Bella sighed and nodded.

"Settie is so sorry to burst in, Mistress," the elf apologized. "Kreacher believes someone _here_ killed the Black parents, and will not believe Settie. Settie was hoping Mistress Bella would just order Settie to tell the truth in front of Kreacher."

"You mean formally order you?" Bella asked uncomfortably.

"I know Mistress does not like to do so," Settie conceded. "Mistress prefers to ask nicely... But for Kreacher..."

Bella eyed Sirius' elf, nodding. "I understand... Settie, I _order_ you to tell the truth about how our parents died."

"Kreacher," Sirius added. "I order you to listen to her while she tells you."

Kreacher shot Sirius a look of absolute loathing before bowing so low, his intention _must_ have been sarcastic. "Anything Master desires..."

"Go on, Settie," Andromeda said softly.

"Settie got back to the Manor," she began. "Master Orion and Mistress Walburga were already in the ballroom with Master Cygnus and Mistress Druella... And... And _him_ , Kreacher... He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was there... 

"There was still broken furniture from where Mistress Druella threw Mistress Bella around the room. Settie peeked in, expecting to be called to fix it all, but they were too busy talking. Master Orion and the Mistresses were begging You-Know-Who for mercy... And..." She looked mildly confused. "Master Cygnus was saying odd things... Um... Swearing loyalty and... Many things Settie should not say in front of the young Masters and Mistresses... 

"But You-Know-Who is not saying anything. Not until he turns to Master Cygnus and uses a Killing Curse on him. Then he turns to the other Blacks and he is saying, _'You're incompetence has cost me five potential future Death Eaters. This crime cannot go unpunished.'_ Then he is using three more Killing Curses, and Settie is hiding until she knows he is gone. 

"Then Settie Apparates to the Ministry and runs to the Aurors. Settie tells them everything... That Mistress Bella was hurt and in danger and that the adult Blacks are dead. Settie tells them that the young ones might be in trouble with You-Know-Who. And Kreacher knows the rest."

"You-Know-Who... Murdered Kreacher's Mistress... Because the children have not... Decided yet... To become Death Eaters? Mistress Bella is the eldest and she is only _twelve_... She is too young..."

"You-Know-Who did not care," Settie said softly. "He wanted them. Mistress Bella had her own ideas. But Settie believes he killed them for fun, Kreacher... Settie cannot think of any other reason.

Kreacher nodded angrily and turned to Sirius. "If Master would like to order Kreacher to destroy He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Kreacher will happily obey, Master."

"No, Kreacher," Sirius said almost gently. "He'd kill you. I don't want that."

"It's okay, Kreacher," Bella smiled at him. "We're safe. We'll figure out the rest."

"Yes, Mistress," he replied. "Kreacher will wait. But Kreacher will eventually make him sorry."


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sort of a filler, but trust me...

Late that night, Minerva McGonagall found herself staring at the back wall of her home, half expecting it to expand and reveal the rooms Settie the elf had created to house five newly-orphaned children. There was a strange sense of longing growing in her chest - a need, a desire, she thought she'd filled at Hogwarts. Now she was beginning to realize she'd only temporarily eased that age-old ache. Bella's arrival - which had brought with it the revelation of opportunities missed - had awakened a sleeping dragon.

She turned into her bedroom, pulled down the covers on her side of the bed, and picked up her late husband's picture from the nightstand. She watched his mouth silently form the words _'Love you, Min'_ before returning it to its proper place.

She sighed a bit, then turned in for the night. The next morning she would return to Kingsley's to do her small part to help Bellatrix. She thought to herself about her counterpart, about how that other Minerva would very likely be ready to tear through every timeline ever created to find her daughter again.

 _'Merlin knows_ I _would...'_

She dimmed the lights, knowing as she did so that trying to sleep would a hopeless endeavor.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Bellatrix was singing to herself as she scanned through the titles categorized on his bookshelf. That's how Kingsley found her when he returned to the living room after his shower; with a finger tracing the spine of a book and a melody dancing across her tongue. Thankfully, it wasn't that monstrosity of a thing that Ron had inadvertently gotten stuck in everyone's heads. Instead, it was a pretty (though sorrowful) ballad that he didn't recognize. Her voice was lovely and he found himself listening instead of announcing his presence.

" _'So hold my dreams_  
_Within the heart of you_  
_Take my life_  
_Use it to make yours new_

_A life unforgotten_  
_Though it may be lost in time_  
_Go create the world_  
_That you wish had been mine_

_Repair the future_  
_That I will never see_  
_Give it to the children of the world_  
_And then kindly think of me_

_Know then how proud I am_  
_That I left this fight to you_  
_Remember that I always said_  
_How I knew your heart was true'_ "

She sighed a bit, pulled a toy from her pocket and began to absently fiddle with it. Her eyes fell to the pink thing in her hand and he watched her sink into the nearest chair.

"Bedtime, Honoria..." Kingsley barely heard her breathe the words. "Don't give Mama any extra trouble just because Mummy isn't home..."

Kingsley backed out of sight before she looked up. He knew Bella didn't like it when others saw that she was sad. He hoped she was only hiding it because these were not the people she truly knew. Surely she at least leaned on her wife, on her Mum, on his own counterpart... She _was_ a rather independent sort - that much was clear. She was, by nature, fiercely loyal and protective. But the idea of Bella trying to face her own difficulties alone was heartbreaking.

Kingsley took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before entering the room in a far less subtle manner than before. He grinned and draped himself across the couch. It was time to distract her, he decided.

"You know, Bella," he mused. "It occurs to me that we're missing out on a great opportunity during these evenings alone..."

Had anyone else said that with such mischief dancing in their eyes, Bellatrix would have thought she was being propositioned. But, different world or no, Kingsley was Kingsley. So she merely raised an eyebrow and smirked at him.

"Oh?"

He showed more of his brilliantly white teeth as that smile of his stretched even further across his face. She felt the corners of her lips pulling up in response. This was beginning to remind her of evenings in the Ravenclaw common room at Hogwarts.

"We have yet to plan a single prank to play on the others," he said. "Any ideas?"

The laugh that had already been bubbling up in her throat spilled out. "Well, I _did_ play this one prank on the Americans in that task force I told you about..." She took on a haughty expression. "Taught them a lesson about calling _me_ 'uppity' just because I don't ruin _my_ tea with ice and ten kilos of sugar... And you should have seen their faces!"

-:-:-:-:-:-

Molly Weasley was outside their door, wringing her hands, when Ron and Hermione got home. The moment she saw them, she swept Hermione into an overpowering hug that drew a startled squeak from the younger woman. When she finally pulled away, she studied Hermione's face intently.

"How are you _really_ holding up, dear?"

Hermione blinked. "Mrs. Weasley - "

"It's _'Molly'_ or _'Mum'_. I've told you that."

"Molly... I'm okay, I promise. It's not entirely comfortable but she's very different..."

"She's nothing like LeStrange, Mum," Ron laughed gently as they made their way indoors. "In fact, I almost wish she could _stay_. You'd like her. She's sort of what'd you'd get if you blended Sirius and Tonks with Fred, George, and Ginny..."

"Oh, Merlin..." Hermione heard Molly whisper with something not unlike horror.

"She's less reckless than Ron's assessment makes her sound," Hermione chuckled. "She was an Auror. She has a family. She fought with the Order in both wars and McGonagall raised her."

Relief flooded through Molly's expression, but she quickly got back on topic. "That's all well and good, Hermione, but I'm not here asking about Bellatrix."

She eyed her future daughter-in-law with a mother's critical gaze. Hermione shifted uneasily.

"We had to make a list," she admitted. "Good things about this Bella that illustrate her differences from LeStrange. I read it over and over. I add to it as I learn more about Bella. I'm making myself hold the two apart."

Molly was not fooled. "And your nightmares?"

Hermione met her gaze. "I can manage."

"Hermione..."

"Yes, I still have the nightmares," she conceded. "But they've changed." Hermione was staring blankly now, focused on something other two couldn't see. Her voice grew distant and hollow. "I'm there... At Malfoy Manor... She's pinning me down, all like it was before... Then _Bellatrix_ starts to turn to _Bella._ And she's crying... She can't stop what's happening. She's not in control. She begs me to purge the Amortentia from her, to save her... But I can't move and she has that knife. Then it's LeStrange again, not Black. And I wake up with that awful laugh ringing in my ears..."

Molly was fighting back tears when Hermione finally looked up and met her gaze. The older woman took a deep breath and crushed the young couple against her chest. Hermione distantly marveled at Molly's strength. She didn't look like someone who could run farther than ten steps, but Hermione felt terribly sorry for the Muggle purse-snatcher who mistook the Weasley matriarch for an easy mark.

"Wait..." Molly pulled back. "Amortentia?" 

"You-Know-Who used it on LeStrange, Mum," Ron supplied. "To keep her obsessed, easy to control." 

Molly's stunned silence gave way to nausea. "I... I killed a woman who... Who wasn't even in control of herself? Who wasn't _responsible_ for..." 

"You didn't know, Molly. None of us did." 

"Does she know?" Molly asked. "This other Bellatrix, does she know I'm the one who killed this world's version of her?" 

"No. She hasn't asked who it was. She seems more concerned with who suffered because of her counterpart and with getting back to her family." 

"She'd probably thank you for it," Ron snorted. "Even if she didn't, she'd understand." 

"Even so..." 

Ron shrugged a bit helplessly and Hermione took Molly's hand. 

"I suppose," Hermione said softly. "Some parts of war never really end..." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone who might be wondering, yes, I fudged the ages on Sirius and Regulus just slightly, effectively doing the same for Lupin, Wormtail, Snape, and the Potters. Which, yes, creates a minor technical discrepancy from the original stories. I trust that it is acceptable for the majority of you that Harry's parents and their friends were just a _few_ years older when Harry was born, yes? I wanted the Black boys to be closer in age to the Black girls to create the sort of dynamic I was looking for. Plus, I just kind of wanted one year in which all five of McGonagall's kids were attending Hogwarts. In my version, Bella's seventh year is Reg's first.
> 
> So, for further clarity, I am making a list of their adjusted birthdays as they appear in my story.
> 
> Bellatrix - September 24, 1951  
> Andromeda - January 17, 1953  
> Sirius - November 3, 1955  
> Narcissa - December 30, 1955  
> Regulus - December 2, 1958
> 
>  _ **SATISFIED, IAN?!?!?!**_ Because, I swear, you're probably the only person freaking out over it! And give me back my _books_ before I decide to superglue your face to the litter box!


End file.
